H5N1 Bird Flu Infections Keep Rising Among Humans, Dairy Farms, and Poultry Farms Across America

Medical News: The alarming surge of H5N1 avian flu cases among humans, dairy farms, and poultry farms across the United States has become a pressing issue for both public health and agricultural sectors. With a steady rise in reported infections, the virus has begun spreading through multiple states, including California, Washington, and Oregon, affecting not only poultry and livestock but also posing a risk to farm workers and surrounding communities. This Medical News report will delve into the latest developments.


H5N1 Bird Flu Infections Keep Rising Among Humans, Dairy Farms, and Poultry
Farms Across America

Rising Human Infections in California and Washington
California and Washington have emerged as focal points in the H5N1 outbreak, with several new cases reported in recent days.
 
California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) disclosed four additional cases among farm workers, bringing the state's total to 20, with 17 confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Bird-Flu.aspx
 
Washington, on the other hand, has recorded three more suspected cases among individuals exposed to infected poultry, raising its total to 12, with nine confirmed by the CDC.
https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/avian-influenza
 
As of now, the U.S. CDC has confirmed that a total of 44 individuals have been infected with the H5N1 virus in the United States for 2024.
https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html
 
However, in reality the number of human infections could be much higher as many individuals have not been tested coupled with the fact that many farmworkers are illegal immigrants who often go into hiding once they are infected for fear of being caught.
 
The infected individuals in both states were either dairy or poultry farm workers directly exposed to sick animals. In Oregon, which also recently detected the virus in local poultry, officials monitored three Washington-based individuals who had traveled while infected.
 
The virus has even reached Oregon's backyard farms, where a pig recently tested positive, marking the first known case in U.S. swine.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/h5n1-bird-flu-now-found-in-a-pig-at-a-farm-in-oregon-united-states
 
H5N1 Spreads to Dairy Farms and Poultry Facilities
Alongside human infections, H5N1 outbreaks are rampant in livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed 38 new H5N1 outbreaks in dairy cattle, including 30 cases in California and eight in Utah. This brings the total affected herds across 15 states to 442, highlighting the widespread nature of the outbreak. Additional cases have been confirmed in other livestock, like swine and alpacas, bringing the grand total to 444 detections across 16 states.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock
 
The situation is equally dire in poultry facilities, with new outbreaks reported across California, Washington, and Oregon.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks
 
A commercial turkey farm in Sacramento County, California, housing over 48,000 birds, was recently affected. Backyard flocks in Washington’s Okanogan and Stevens counties, as well as Oregon’s Jackson County, have also fallen victim to the virus.
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Animal_Health/Avian_Influenza.html
 
H5N1 Found in Los Angeles County Wastewater
For the first time, Los Angeles County officials reported detecting H5N1 in local wastewater, signaling that the virus could potentially spread beyond farms. Although no human cases have emerged in the county yet, health authorities are proactively working with high-risk groups, such as dairy and meat processing workers, to monitor and mitigate possible exposure.
https://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4872
 
California’s Escalating Poultry Crisis
California’s poultry industry has been significantly impacted by the virus, with a notable increase in HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) cases in recent months. In the past 30 days, seven commercial poultry operations, particularly broiler farms in Kings and Fresno counties, have had to depopulate their flocks due to H5N1. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), these facilities lost a combined total of 1.57 million birds to the virus.
 
The CDFA has urged all poultry owners in the state to implement stringent biosecurity measures to protect their flocks. Signs of HPAI include symptoms such as sudden death, breathing difficulties, runny discharge from the nose and eyes, lethargy, reduced food and water intake, and noticeable physical changes in affected birds. With these preventive steps, officials hope to curb the virus’s spread, though the situation remains challenging.
 
USDA Ramps Up Efforts to Control H5N1 Spread
In response to the rising threat of H5N1, APHIS has intensified its testing and monitoring measures. The agency, in partnership with state veterinarians, plans to implement a tiered sampling strategy to collect milk samples, which will aid in mapping H5N1 prevalence in dairy herds. Bulk milk testing has proven effective in previous disease outbreaks, such as brucellosis, and could play a crucial role in curtailing H5N1’s spread among cattle.
 
By testing milk on a regional scale, USDA officials aim to identify and contain the virus before it spreads further. Additionally, the USDA continues to work with both public and private veterinarians to fine-tune this new testing approach. Biosecurity remains a top priority, with an emphasis on keeping farm equipment, personnel, and other items virus-free.
 
CDC’s Warning: Vigilance Is Key
The CDC has confirmed a total of 44 human H5N1 cases across six states, with a recent addition of two new cases. Although these cases have resulted in only mild symptoms, the CDC’s research indicates that the virus has potential risks. Genetic analysis of the virus from the first human case - a dairy worker in Texas - revealed mutations that could potentially worsen the virus’s impact on humans. This has heightened the need for continued surveillance and protective measures for those in direct contact with infected animals.
 
Human Cases and New Research on H5N1’s Human Impact
While the virus has primarily impacted animals, humans are still at risk, especially those working closely with infected livestock. The CDC’s research on H5N1 conducted on ferrets - a common model for studying human influenza - yielded alarming results. Infected ferrets exposed to each other passed the virus, and all infected ferrets in the study succumbed.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/a-more-transmissible-and-possibly-lethal-h5n1-strain-hutx37-h5n1-discovered-in-an-infected-farmworker-in-america
 
This evidence supports the need for stringent protective measures among animal workers and underscores the importance of public health interventions to contain the spread of H5N1.
 
Conclusion: Taking Preventive Steps to Protect Public Health
As the H5N1 avian flu continues to wreak havoc across America’s farms, public health officials emphasize the importance of preventive measures and ongoing surveillance. The virus’s capacity to infect not only birds but also mammals raises concerns about its potential impact on humans, especially as new strains with mammalian adaptations emerge. Farm workers, who are most at risk, must be vigilant about biosecurity practices, and those in affected regions should remain alert to possible symptoms of avian flu.
 
The USDA’s efforts to implement bulk milk testing, along with the CDC’s monitoring of human cases, are critical steps toward containing the virus. However, the situation calls for a unified approach involving public health officials, farm owners, and local communities to ensure the safety of both humans and animals. As vaccine development progresses, the hope is to offer an effective tool for preventing future outbreaks. But until then, the primary focus remains on containment, monitoring, and biosecurity to mitigate the risks posed by H5N1.
 
For the latest H5N1 News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-evolution-of-avian-influenza-h5n1-a-growing-threat-in-the-usa-and-beyond
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/h5n1-news-as-h5n1-now-targets-domestic-cats-across-the-united-states-data-shows-that-67-percent-of-infected-felines-do-not-survive
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/infected-cows-can-produce-milk-that-has-a-changed-composition-which-can-affect-human-health