The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed a highly pathogenic form of bird flu in a person in Oregon, who is linked to an outbreak at a commercial poultry operation in the state. A total of 52 people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus this year, all of whom were farm workers with known contact with infected animals except for one person in Missouri. Despite the cases, there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission and the risk to the public is low.
Last month, the H5N1 bird flu was also confirmed in a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon, marking the first detection of the virus in swine in the country. The CDC has recommended that farm workers exposed to animals with bird flu be tested for the virus even if they do not have symptoms. Since 2022, more than 100 million poultry birds have been wiped out in the worst-ever bird flu outbreak in the nation.
Health officials did not provide further details on the individual in Oregon who contracted the virus. The CDC is continuing to monitor the situation and is working with state health authorities to control the spread of the virus and protect public health.
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