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    • California child positive for bird flu; no known contact with animals: CDC
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    California child positive for bird flu; no known contact with animals: CDC

    Online Niel Posted on

    Health officials are investigating whether a Northern California child with mild respiratory symptoms contracted it bird flu.

    The child lives in Alameda County in the East Bay, where the city of Oakland is located, and tested positive for the virus despite having no known contact with an infected animal, the California Department of Health reported Tuesday.

    Its considered a “possible” case. until the positive test is confirmed by Centers for Disease Control and Preventionstate officials announced in a news release Tuesday.

    The child, who state officials said was treated, is recovering at home. Although the child had no known contact with an infected animal, public health officials said they are investigating whether they were exposed to wild birds.

    The positive test showed “a low-level detection of the virus,” meaning the child was not likely infectious to others, state officials reported. Repeat bird flu tests on the child four days later came back negative, officials wrote, and additional tests showed the child also tested positive for respiratory viruses that could be the cause of cold and flu symptoms.

    California officials said they sent specimens to the CDC for confirmatory testing.

    The National Public Health Agency is aware of the suspected positive case of H5 avian influenza, a CDC spokesperson he told Reutersand is cooperating with the state’s investigation and said the agency will provide further updates as soon as possible.

    Although human infections in the United States have been rare, according to the CDC, bird flu has been infected 53 people from April.

    The risk to the public remains low, the CDC said.

    Is raw milk safe? USDA tests raw milk for bird flu.

    What is bird flu?

    Bird flu is a disease caused by a family of influenza viruses transmitted mainly among birds.

    Avian influenza viruses, according to the CDC and USDA, are classified into two groups: low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) (common in wild birds) and HPAI, found mostly in domestic birds. According to the CDC, LPAI viruses cause mild or no illness, and HPAI causes severe illness and high mortality rates in infected birds.

    Bird flu cost the government at least $660 million through February 2023, the Associated Press reported at the time, and raised the price of eggs and poultry. Tens of millions of birds were slaughtered to limit the spread of the virus.

    What are the symptoms of bird flu?

    Symptoms of bird flu include, according to the CDC:

    • eye redness (conjunctivitis)
    • mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms
    • pneumonia requiring hospitalization
    • fever (temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) or feeling feverish symptoms
    • cough
    • sore throat
    • runny or stuffy nose
    • muscle or body pain
    • headaches
    • fatigue
    • shortness of breath or shortness of breath

    Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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