Rare Human Case of Bird Flu Reported in Texas
A person in Texas has been diagnosed with a rare case of bird flu, marking the second known human infection ever in the United States, officials announced Monday.
The unidentified patient came down with the highly pathogenic avian influenza A, also called H5N1, after coming into contact with dairy cattle “presumed to be infected” with the virus, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
“Avian influenza A viruses have only rarely been transmitted from person to person,” the DSHS announcement said. “As such, the risk to the general public is believed to be low; however, people with close contact with affected animals suspected of having avian influenza A have a higher risk of infection.”