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For the fourth day in a row the USDA has incremented the number of infected herds in California, which a week ago sat at 137 confirmed herds, and in just 7 days has jumped to 202.
Based on reports issued from other states, at least 9 other herds have tested positive (8 in Utah, 1 in Michigan) which have yet to show up on the USDA list.
California has reported at least 16 human H5 infections linked to exposure to infected dairy cows, although anecdotal reporting suggests this is an undercount.
As of October 28, 2024, CDPH has confirmed sixteen (16) human cases of bird flu in California. All individuals had contact with animals at different farms and all have experienced mild symptoms, including eye redness or discharge (conjunctivitis). None of the individuals have been hospitalized. While the risk to the general public remains low, additional human cases of bird flu are expected to be identified and confirmed in California among individuals who have contact with infected dairy cattle. CDPH recommends that personal protective equipment (PPE), such as eye protection (face shields or safety goggles), respirators (N95 masks), and gloves be worn by anyone working with animals or materials that are infected or potentially infected with the bird flu virus. Wearing PPE helps prevent infection. Please see CDPH’s Worker Protection from Bird Flu for full PPE guidance. For the latest updates from CDPH, visit Bird Flu (ca.gov).
Meanwhile Washington State has increased the number of human infections linked to poultry exposure (supposedly of a non-bovine genotype) to 9.
All totaled, 39 human infections have been confirmed in the United States since late March, although once again, this is likely an undercount.
