(WWJ) Michigan's health department is reporting the first case of bird flu in a human in the state, which is only the second confirmed human case in the U.S. this year.
A farm worker, who was around livestock infected with the virus, has recovered after reporting mild symptoms, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which put out a news release on Wednesday.
The MDHHS isn't releasing any information about the worker, including age or city of residence, to protect their privacy.
The bird flu, also known as H5N1, is a type of influenza A virus has been circulating in dairy and poultry farms in several Michigan counties.
Nationally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said at least 51 dairy herds in nine states have been affected, including Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Dakota.
Michigan's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, says the virus is being closely monitored, and they have not seen signs of sustained human-to-human transmission at this point, and the risk to Michiganders is low.
“Michigan has led a swift public health response, and we have been tracking this situation closely since influenza A (H5N1) was detected in poultry and dairy herds in Michigan. Farmworkers who have been exposed to impacted animals have been asked to report even mild symptoms, and testing for the virus has been made available,” said Bagdasarian.
She added, "This is exactly how public health is meant to work, in early detection and monitoring of new and emerging illnesses.”
MDHHS and local health departments are continuing to work closely with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), farms and workers to conduct monitoring of the health of people exposed to sick animals.
“Since the first detection of influenza A (H5N1) in dairy cattle on March 29, Michigan has prioritized both the animal and human health aspects of this disease outbreak. Today’s news underscores the continued importance of limiting nonessential farm visits, including farm tours and field trips, as well as the use of personal protective equipment when working with livestock,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring, in a statement.
Along with this Michigan case, health officials say there have been only two other human cases related to bird and dairy exposure in the U.S. since 2022; one in Colorado in 2022, and one this years in Texas.
For more information about this virus, visit Michigan.gov/influenzaA.