California has recorded its third case of bird flu in dairy farmers in just three weeks, making it the 17th human case of H5N1 flu in the US since March.
CDC officials announced that the latest patient is experiencing mild symptoms, including eye redness and eye infection, and none of the three cases have required hospitalization.
Experts believe the infection was spread from the dairy cows that each patient comes in close contact with daily. The patients did not know each other and there is so far no indication that the infection is spreading from person to person.
More cases are likely to arise in the coming months, according to the CDC, given the speed at which bird flu is spreading among hundreds of dairy cattle herds across at least 14 states.
The agency has received more specimens from two other Californians who are likely to have bird flu, but they need to undergo confirmatory testing by the CDC to verify the results.
While the agency insists risk to the public remains low, experts have expressed fears that all signs point to the virus’ capacity to drive a potential pandemic not dissimilar to Covid-19.
At least 250 cattle herds across 14 states have been stricken with bird flu since spring, resulting in minimum 18 cases in humans this year
