Two More Bird Flu Cases Reported Among U.S. Farm Workers

NEW YORK –

U.S. health officials on Friday announced two more cases of bird flu among farm workers, but also said a new study in Michigan showed the virus does not cause asymptomatic infections in people.

Last month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services began a study of workers who were around cows infected with avian influenza. Researchers took blood samples from 35 people.

One goal was to determine whether these were people who had no symptoms but had traces of previous infections. None of the blood tests detected antibodies that would indicate such an infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Meanwhile, two more cases of bird flu have been reported linked to a Colorado poultry farm, bringing the total to six. It is the largest outbreak of bird flu among humans in U.S. history, accounting for most of the 11 cases reported to date. Ten of those cases have been reported this year, all among farm workers who experienced mild symptoms.

The bird flu virus has been spreading in different parts of the world since 2020 among mammals such as dogs, cats, skunks, bears, and even seals and porpoises. A few months ago, the virus, known as H5N1, was detected in cattle in the United States and is now circulating among herds in several states.

Health officials continue to say the threat to the public is low and that the virus is not spreading between people. However, officials are watching closely because previous versions of the same virus have been deadly.

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