CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Central Nevada Health District revealed that Nevada has officially confirmed its inaugural human instance of avian influenza, with the affected individual being a farm laborer who came into contact with infected dairy cattle. This development comes in the wake of authorities recently announcing the emergence of a second strain of the virus within cows in the state. This new case expands the scope of the avian influenza outbreak in the United States, having already affected close to 70 individuals, primarily farm workers, since the onset in April. The H5N1 virus has had a detrimental impact on milk production in cattle, leading to a surge in egg prices due to the mass depletion of laying hens.
The afflicted Nevada worker is presently in recovery after experiencing symptoms of conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, as disclosed by the Central Nevada Health District in an official statement. Moreover, there is no substantiated evidence indicating the transmission of the virus from person to person, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deeming the risk of avian influenza to the general public as minimal.
In a groundbreaking revelation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently reported the identification of a secondary strain of avian influenza in dairy cattle in Nevada, thereby intensifying concerns about the ongoing outbreak in the country. Identified as the D1.1 strain, this particular genotype was predominant among wild birds during the preceding fall and winter seasons, with sightings also recorded in poultry, as highlighted by the agency. Tragically, an individual in Louisiana succumbed to the D1.1 genotype following hospitalization.
(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Chris Reese and Nick Zieminski)
