The primary particular person to have a extreme case of H5N1 chook flu in the USA has died, in accordance with the Louisiana Division of Well being. That is the primary human loss of life from chook flu within the US.
The particular person, who was over 65 and reportedly had underlying medical situations, was hospitalized with the flu after publicity to a yard flock of birds and to wild birds.
Louisiana well being officers mentioned that their investigation discovered no different human circumstances linked to this particular person’s an infection.
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The affected person was contaminated with the D1.1 clade of the chook flu virus, a pressure that’s circulating in wild chook and poultry. It’s completely different from the variant that’s circulating in dairy cattle.
The CDC reported in late December {that a} genetic evaluation of the virus that contaminated the affected person discovered modifications anticipated to reinforce its capacity to contaminate the higher airways of people and unfold extra simply from individual to individual. Those self same modifications weren’t seen within the birds the particular person had been uncovered to, officers mentioned, indicating that they’d developed within the particular person after they had been contaminated.
Though the general threat to the general public stays low, individuals who hold chickens and different birds of their backyards are at increased threat for chook flu, as are employees on dairy and poultry farms.
Individuals who work with animals, or who’ve been involved with sick or lifeless animals or their droppings, ought to look ahead to respiratory issues and crimson, contaminated eyes for 10 days after publicity. In the event that they develop signs, they need to inform their well being care supplier about their latest publicity.
Different methods to remain protected embrace:
- Don’t contact sick or lifeless animals or their droppings, and don’t carry sick wild animals into your own home.
- Preserve your pets away from sick or lifeless animals and their feces.
- Don’t eat raw or undercooked meals. Prepare dinner poultry, eggs and different animal merchandise to the right temperature, and forestall cross-contamination between uncooked and cooked meals.
- Keep away from raw meals merchandise equivalent to unpasteurized uncooked milk or cheeses from animals which have a suspected or confirmed an infection.
- If you happen to work on poultry or dairy farms, speak to a well being care supplier about getting your seasonal flu vaccination. It won’t forestall an infection with avian influenza viruses, however it could possibly scale back the danger of coinfection with avian and flu viruses.
- Report lifeless or sick birds or animals to the US Division of Agriculture toll-free at 1-866-536-7593.
It is a creating story and will likely be up to date.
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