PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon home cat died after consuming pet meals that examined optimistic for bird flu, Oregon authorities mentioned, prompting a recall of uncooked frozen pet meals that was offered nationwide.
Northwest Naturals, a pet meals firm primarily based in Portland, Oregon, mentioned Tuesday it had voluntarily recalled one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe uncooked frozen pet meals after it examined optimistic for the virus. The product was offered via distributors in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, in addition to Canada’s British Columbia.
“We are assured that this cat contracted H5N1 by consuming the Northwest Naturals uncooked and frozen pet meals,” Oregon Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz mentioned in a Tuesday information launch. “This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not uncovered to the virus in its surroundings, and outcomes from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the uncooked pet meals and contaminated cat have been precise matches to one another.”
The recalled product is packaged in two-pound plastic luggage with “finest if utilized by” dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026. The firm and Oregon authorities mentioned that buyers who purchased the recalled product ought to throw it away instantly and get in touch with the place of buy for a refund.
No human cases of chook flu have been linked to the incident, however those that have been in touch with the cat are being monitored for flu signs, Oregon authorities mentioned.
More than 60 folks in eight states have been infected, with principally delicate sicknesses, in keeping with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. One particular person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with the nation’s first known severe illness brought on by the virus, well being officers mentioned final week.
So far, the CDC has confirmed one human case of chook flu in Oregon. The particular person was linked to a beforehand reported outbreak at a business poultry operation and absolutely recovered after experiencing delicate sickness, in keeping with a November information launch from the Oregon Health Authority.
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In late October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced {that a} pig at a yard farm in Oregon was discovered to have chook flu, marking the first detection of the virus in U.S. swine.
