Experts are sounding the alarm.
Amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak affecting U.S. poultry and dairy herds, Canadian officials reported the first known human case of the H5N1 virus in the country. A teenager in British Columbia was hospitalized in critical condition, though it is unclear how the teen contracted the virus since there was no direct contact with infected animals. The case marks the first detected instance of H5N1 in both the province and Canada. Health officials are investigating the source of the exposure, with tests being conducted on individuals who had close contact with the teenager, but no further infections have been identified.
In the U.S., the spread of bird flu has also been confirmed in swine for the first time. A backyard farm in Oregon, which housed both poultry and livestock, was found to have a pig infected with H5N1, though the pig showed no symptoms. This discovery has raised concerns among health officials because pigs are capable of mixing animal viruses, a phenomenon that could potentially lead to new strains that might affect humans. The farm has been quarantined, but there is no risk to the national pork supply, as it was not a commercial operation.
Additionally, a second case of human infection was reported in Missouri, where an individual who had shared a home with a person previously hospitalized with bird flu tested positive for H5N1. However, no health care workers involved in the care of the initial patient were infected, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Despite this, concerns continue to rise as the number of human infections related to bird flu grows, with 46 cases reported in the U.S. so far this year. Public health officials remain vigilant but continue to stress that the immediate risk to the general public is low.
As the virus spreads among animals, including dairy herds in over 15 U.S. states, experts are increasingly concerned about the potential for human-to-human transmission. Dr. James Lawler, co-director of the University of Nebraska’s Global Center for Health Security, emphasized the need for increased resources to monitor and control the situation, though he advised against panic at this time. The growing number of infections highlights the urgency for further research and preventive measures to manage the evolving bird flu threat.
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