Health officers on Friday confirmed chicken flu in a California baby—the primary reported case in a U.S. minor.
The kid had delicate signs, was handled with antiviral medicine and is recovering, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated in saying the take a look at outcomes. No particulars concerning the baby have been launched, besides that they stay in Alameda County, which incorporates Oakland, and attend day care.
The an infection brings the reported variety of U.S. chicken flu instances this yr to 55, together with 29 in California, the CDC stated. Most have been farmworkers who examined constructive with delicate signs.
One exception was an grownup in Missouri who didn’t work at a farm and had no recognized contact with an contaminated animal. It stays a thriller how that particular person was contaminated—well being officers have stated there was no proof of it spreading between folks.
Learn Extra: Is It Time to Fear About Fowl Flu?
A British Columbia teen additionally was not too long ago hospitalized with chicken flu, Canadian officers have stated.
H5N1 chicken flu has been spreading broadly within the U.S. amongst wild birds, poultry and a variety of different animals over the previous couple of years.
It started spreading in U.S. dairy cattle in March. California has turn into the middle of that outbreak, with 402 contaminated herds detected there since August. That’s 65% of the 616 herds confirmed with the virus in 15 states.
Officers stated they have been investigating how the kid was contaminated. California well being officers beforehand stated in a press release that they have been wanting right into a “doable publicity to wild birds.”
There isn’t a proof chicken flu unfold from the kid to different folks.
Folks within the kid’s family reported having related signs, however their take a look at outcomes have been unfavorable for chicken flu. Well being officers famous the kid and the family members additionally examined constructive for different widespread respiratory viruses.
