California health officials are investigating five potential human cases of bird flu among dairy farm workers, adding to the six confirmed cases already reported in the state. The state health department made the announcement on Monday, noting that the workers had mild symptoms and were not hospitalized. The cases originated from nine different dairy farms, where the individuals were exposed to sick poultry or dairy. Specimens from the possible cases have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, has continued to spread across dairy farms, affecting 100 dairies in California and 300 nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nationwide, there have been 19 confirmed human cases among farm workers this year, including the six in California. Officials stress that the risk to the general public remains low and that pasteurized dairy products are safe to consume.
The CDC is expected to provide results for the five new cases this week. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, although they maintain that human transmission is rare and that the symptoms experienced by the affected workers have been mild. No hospitalizations have occurred among those infected in California.
California health officials and the USDA are working to manage the outbreak’s impact on dairy farms. The spread of bird flu on farms has raised concerns among agricultural workers, but authorities continue to emphasize that the threat to public health is minimal, as the disease primarily affects animals.
Despite the outbreak on farms, federal and state officials assure the public that strict safety measures, including pasteurization, are in place to ensure that dairy products remain safe for consumption.
