Second human in US infected with bird flu linked to cow outbreak, CDC reports

Enlarge / Holstein dairy cows in a freestall barn. (credit: Getty | )

A dairy farm worker in Michigan has tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus, marking the second human case of H5N1 linked to the unprecedented outbreak among dairy cows in the US.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the worker only experienced an eye infection, much like the first case in a dairy farm worker in Texas. The Michigan worker was being monitored for symptoms due to exposure—the person worked on a dairy farm with H5N1-infected cattle. The person had both nasal and eye swabs tested for H5N1. The CDC confirmed that the nasal swab was negative while the eye swab was positive.

The CDC says that its risk assessment for the general public remains low but that the infection underscores the risk and needed precautions for people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals.