The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a second dairy worker has been diagnosed with bird flu.
This revelation follows an incident where another dairy worker on a Texas farm experienced eye bleeding after contact with cows infected with bird flu, according to the New York Post.
Dairy cows stand together at a farm, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Clinton, Maine. Federal health and agriculture officials pledged new spending and other efforts Friday, May 10, 2024, to help track and contain an outbreak of bird flu in the nation’s dairy cows that has spread to more than 40 herds in nine states. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
“A dairy worker who was being monitored because of their work exposure to H5N1-infected cattle reported symptoms to local health officials,” the CDC’s statement explained. “Two specimens were collected from the patient.”
After tests were conducted on the dairy worker, health officials ruled out the influenza virus when the results from a nasal test came back negative.
“The eye specimen was sent to CDC for testing because it is one of a few labs where those specimens can be used with the CDC A(H5) test,” the CDC’s statement continues. “The specimen was received by CDC and testing results confirmed A(H5) virus infection.”
Initially, health officials had asserted that the bird flu outbreak was not harmful to humans. However, they are now cautioning that it could pose a greater risk to human health than previously believed.
The CDC advises individuals to “avoid close, long, or unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals,” which includes cows, “wild birds, poultry,” and “other domesticated birds,” according to their statement.
“People should also avoid unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding (litter), unpasteurized (‘raw’) milk, or materials that have been touched by, or close to, birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed A(H5N1) virus,” the CDC adds.
