LOS ANGELES, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There have been two reported human cases in the United States since 2022, one in the state of Colorado following exposure to poultry, and the other recent case in the state of Texas following exposure to dairy cows, according to CDC.
While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.
CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5N1 activity in people.
As of Tuesday, there had been nearly 9,300 wild birds in 50 jurisdictions detected H5NI, over 90 million poultry in 48 states affected, and 8 states with outbreaks in dairy cattle, CDC data showed.
To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a number of actions to help limit its spread.
The actions, taking effect from April 29, include mandatory testing for interstate movement of dairy cattle, and mandatory reporting.
The panzootic of H5N1 viruses in wild birds has resulted in outbreaks among commercial poultry, backyard bird flocks, and spread to infect wild terrestrial and marine mammals, as well as domesticated animals.
Although human infections with H5N1 virus are rare, having unprotected exposure to any infected animal or to an environment in which infected birds or other animals are or have been present can pose a risk of infection, according to CDC.
Most human infections with H5N1 virus have occurred after unprotected exposures to sick or dead infected poultry. There is no evidence of sustained human-to-human H5N1 virus transmission, and limited, non-sustained human-to-human H5N1 virus transmission has not been reported worldwide since 2007, according to CDC.
At this time, CDC considers the human health risk to the U.S. public from H5N1 viruses to be low. However, people with close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals, or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at greater risk of infection.
CDC recommends people to avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals, as well as with animal feces, litter, or materials contaminated by birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 virus infection.
CDC said people should not prepare or eat uncooked or undercooked food or related uncooked food products, such as unpasteurized milk, or raw cheeses, from animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 virus infection.
