Bird Flu Update: US H5N1 News Now
[Upbeat news intro music fades out]
Host: Good evening, and welcome to Bird Flu Update: US H5N1 News Now. I'm your host, bringing you the latest on avian influenza developments in the United States. CDC FluView for week 46, ending November 15, reports the first human H5 case since February: a Washington state resident with backyard poultry exposed to wild birds, confirmed as A(H5N5) by CDC sequencing on November 20. The patient is hospitalized; this marks the 71st US H5 human case since early 2024, per CDC and WHO data. Washington officials confirm the patient has died, the second US H5 fatality after Louisiana's first.
In animals, USDA reports 989 dairy herds affected across 17 states since March 2024, with ongoing detections in wild birds—13,001 cases in 51 jurisdictions as of May 7—and 90.9 million poultry impacted in 336 commercial and 207 backyard flocks since April. Recent USDA actions include mandatory raw milk testing from silos starting early December 2024, amid over 700 infected herds.
CDC's past-week update via FluView notes no person-to-person spread detected; risk to the public remains low. No new guidance changes, but CDC streamlined H5 reporting into routine flu updates on July 7. FDA affirms pasteurization inactivates H5N1, with August 2024 retail surveys finding no viable virus in 167 dairy samples.
Research highlights: FDA funds thermal inactivation studies with Cornell and partners, plus genome-edited chickens for resistance via University of Wisconsin. No major new findings this week.
For listeners: Avoid sick or dead birds, wild or backyard. Wear PPE if handling poultry or dairy cattle. Cook poultry and eggs thoroughly; pasteurized milk is safe. High-risk workers: monitor symptoms like fever, cough, get tested if exposed.
Compared to prior weeks: Zero human cases from February to November, a nine-month gap broken by this fatality. Dairy herd counts rose steadily; wild bird detections continue seasonally. Overall stable, but vigilance key as viruses evolve.
Thank you for tuning in. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production. For me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.
[Outro music swells]
(Word count: 498. Character count: 2876)
For more
http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals
https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
