CDC confirms first child in United States infected with bird flu

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Migrating cranes fly in the Hula Valley Nature Reserve where 6,000 cranes have died from H5N1 type Avian Influenza, bird flu, on Sunday, January 2, 2022. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first child in the United States contracted avian influenza H5 virus infection.

On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health reported the child in Alameda County tested positive for bird flu, despite no known contact with infected animals. They were investigating a possible exposure to wild birds. Alameda County is in Northern California.

The state contacted the CDC to investigate the cause of the initial positive test in the child.

On Friday the CDC said low levels of viral material were detected in the initial specimen collected, and follow-up testing of the child several days later was negative for H5 bird flu but was positive for other common respiratory viruses. The child is recovering from their illness.

The CDC said all household members reported having symptoms and specimens were collected from those people. All test results from them were negative for H5 bird flu, and some family members were positive for the same common respiratory viruses as the child.

There has been no person-to-person spread identified associated with any of the H5N1 bird flu cases reported in the United States.

Fifty-five human cases of H5 bird flu have been reported in the United States during 2024, with 29 in California.

Widespread outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry since 2022 and dairy herds since August 2024, including in California.

CDC said risk assessment for the general public is low though people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals, including livestock, or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at higher risk of infection.

CDC recommends avoiding unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals.

Pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume but drinking raw milk or eating raw milk products could be dangerous.

"It's natural for people to be concerned, and we want to reinforce for parents, caregivers and families that based on the information and data we have, we don't think the child was infectious - and no human-to-human spread of bird flu has been documented in any country for more than 15 years," CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomas Aragón said.

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CDC confirms first child in United States infected with bird flu

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