The Centers for Control and Disease Prevention (CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed that a person in a person in Missouri (MO) tested positive for bird flu (H5) without known contact with infected animals, marking the first such case in the US.
The adult patient, who had underlying conditions, was hospitalized on August 22, treated with antiviral medication, and later discharged. Initial tests identified the case as unusual, leading to further analysis at state and federal labs, which confirmed it as H5 avian flu.
This is the 14th US bird flu case this year, but the first without animal exposure. The Missouri Department of Health noted that no H5 infections in dairy cattle have been reported, although some cases have occurred in poultry and wild birds. "The risk of sustained transmission or infection among the general public remains low," the authorities said.
