CDC Issues Health Alert for Second U.S. Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in a Person

The CDC issued a health alert on April 1, 2023, reporting a second case of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, in a Texas farm worker.

This is the second identified human case of this strain in the US, following a 2022 case in Colorado.

The virus is spreading to new mammals, including dairy cattle, for the first time.

The CDC is informing clinicians, state health departments, and the public about the case.

The CDC advises using PPE, testing, antiviral treatment, investigations, and monitoring to prevent infection from the virus.

The risk assessment for the US public from H5N1 bird flu remains low, according to the CDC.

A Texas patient recently tested positive for the virus, but only had eye inflammation as a symptom.