Los Angeles County reported its first case of human H5N1 fowl flu an infection Monday, as well being officers sought to unfold public consciousness of the menace.
The contaminated particular person was an grownup who was uncovered to contaminated livestock at a worksite, county well being officers mentioned. Officials didn’t specify the particular person’s gender or different figuring out data to respect the affected person’s privateness, however mentioned the particular person is being handled with antivirals and is at house recovering with gentle signs.
“People hardly ever get fowl flu, however those that work together with contaminated livestock or wildlife have a higher threat of an infection,” Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County well being officer, mentioned in a press release.
This is the 66th case of reported H5N1 fowl flu within the U.S. this 12 months and the thirty sixth particular person in California. Thirty-four of the instances have concerned dairy employees, and one — a toddler in Alameda County — was contaminated by an unknown supply. This case was described solely as publicity to livestock; well being officers wouldn’t say whether or not it was was dairy cattle.
Sharon Balter, director of the county’s Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, declined to explain the particular person’s signs intimately for privateness causes and mentioned the affected person didn’t search remedy at a hospital or clinic.
“We have been doing outreach and located the particular person,” Balter mentioned.
Over the weekend, she mentioned, the county recognized the affected person as probably contaminated and despatched check outcomes to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The county acquired the outcomes Monday.
The county has additionally been handing out fliers in neighborhoods the place officers consider residents might have hen coops, livestock or different animals of their backyards. The fliers advise folks to report sick or lifeless birds to animal management businesses and to forestall wild birds from entering into areas that home pet birds and poultry.
Flier recipients are additionally suggested to not eat uncooked milk, uncooked cheese and undercooked meat.
Balter was unaware of some other county well being division within the state or the nation sending fliers out to residents, however mentioned she was lately contacted by a county in one other state that was taken with L.A. County’s materials.
She mentioned the county has been issuing the fliers in choose areas for the reason that spring, when the primary human instances have been introduced.
Balter mentioned the fliers are being distributed for public consciousness and to assist guarantee folks more than likely interacting with animals had important data.
An individual in Louisiana was hospitalized final week with a extreme case of fowl flu. That particular person is believed to have been contaminated by dealing with sick or lifeless birds in a yard flock.
Balter mentioned she desires folks to concentrate on the illness and to know they need to keep away from sick and lifeless birds.
The flier additionally advises residents to get the seasonal flu vaccine, which can assist stop extreme seasonal flu sickness and decrease the chance of getting each seasonal and fowl flu infections on the identical time if uncovered.
Symptoms of fowl flu in people embrace eye redness or discharge, fever, cough or issue respiratory, sore throat, muscle or physique aches, diarrhea and vomiting.
