Merced County confirms its first human case of bird flu this year

A person who came into contact with livestock on a dairy farm is the first confirmed human case of H5N1 bird flu infection in Merced County this year, public health officials said Monday.

The case was discovered based on symptoms of direct exposure and confirmed by laboratory test results, according to a Merced County news release.

Officials said the risk level to the public is low. The people exposed to the infected livestock have been notified and are being actively monitored.

On October 18, the California Department of Health reported that the number of people with bird flu was 13. All these people came into contact with infected dairy cattle.

Dairies in the Central Valley have been overwhelmed by the virus. In some cases, the situation is so serious that dairies are overwhelmed by the large number of beef carcasses.

The disease is also extremely contagious and very fatal to birds. The virus makes all meat and eggs from the herd unsafe for human consumption. Millions of birds have been euthanized at poultry farms in Merced County and California because of the virus.

People can become infected with the virus if they come into direct contact with infected birds, cattle or other animals, even if they are dead.

It is also unsafe to come into contact with contaminated litter, feed, water troughs and other contaminated surfaces.

The risk of human infection of bird flu is low and human-to-human transmission is rare, the release said.

The symptoms are consistent with acute respiratory infections including, but not limited to, cough, sore throat, fever, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue, muscle or body aches, conjunctivitis. shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Individuals who are exposed and develop symptoms should seek treatment through their doctor or the Merced County Department of Public Health as soon as possible.

For more information about bird flu, visit the California Department of Public Health website.