California reports bird flu in two people who had contact with infected cows

CHICAGO, Oct 3 (Reuters) – California, the largest U.S. dairy producing state, confirmed two human cases of bird flu on Thursday in people who had contact with dairy cows infected with the virus.

These cases bring the total number of avian flu infections in the U.S. among people who come into contact with dairy cows and poultry to 15 this year. Another person in Missouri who had no immediate known contact with animals also tested positive.

The virus’ spread to cattle in 14 states and infection of farm workers has scientists and federal officials worried about the risks to humans of further spread.

There is no known connection or contact between the two human cases in California, suggesting the virus spreads only from animals to humans in the state, the California Department of Public Health said in a statement.

One infected person, who was a dairy worker, only suffered from conjunctivitis or conjunctivitis, the department said. The person is being treated with antiviral medication and will stay at home, it said.

According to the statement, the person works at a dairy in the Central Valley that is suffering from an outbreak of bird flu in cattle.

The second person was also described as a person from the Central Valley and was suffering from mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis, the department said. It said neither person reported respiratory symptoms nor was hospitalized.

“The risk to the general public remains low, although people who interact with infected animals are at higher risk of contracting bird flu,” the department said.

Scientists are paying close attention to signs that the virus is spreading more easily among people.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it will begin testing raw cow’s milk to be pasteurized at dairies to better understand the prevalence of the bird flu virus in milk.

Participation in the study, scheduled to begin Oct. 28, is voluntary and pasteurized dairy products can still be safely consumed, the agency said.

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Tom has been a journalist for Reuters in Chicago since 2011. He writes primarily about food and agriculture and has reported on disruptions to global fertilizer and grain supplies caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He also covers U.S. livestock and meat processing companies, including Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and JBS. Tom was part of a team of reporters that named Reuters Journalist of the Year in 2016 for their coverage of Monsanto. He also won awards from the North American Agricultural Journalists.

Award-winning Washington-based journalist covering agriculture and energy, including competition, regulation, federal regulators, corporate consolidation, environment and climate, racial discrimination and labor, previously at the Food and Environment Reporting Network.