Pandora is the trending news editor at Live Science. She is also a science presenter and previously worked as Senior Science and Health Reporter at Newsweek. Pandora holds a Biological Sciences degree from the University of Oxford, where she specialised in biochemistry and molecular biology.
A child in California is recovering from H5N1 bird flu after becoming the first kid in the Unites States to get infected with the virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
The CDC's announcement, released Friday , came two days before a voluntary raw-milk recall by the California-based dairy company Raw Farm. H5N1 can pass into the milk of infected cows, but the pasteurization process eliminates it. Raw milk, which is unpasteurized, may expose people to the germ, officials have warned.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The virus is spread primarily by wild and domestic birds. However, it can also jump into mammals, including dairy cows and, in some cases, humans.
The CDPH noted that the child had been at day care in the days running up to their diagnosis. The department has been closely monitoring caregivers and families affiliated with the center to offer testing and preventive treatment. That said, Dr. Tomás Aragón, director of the CDPH and the state's public health officer, emphasized that there is no reason to believe the child passed on their infection.
"In response to this positive test from a retail milk product, CDFA followed up with testing at both of Raw Farm LLC's locations — results were negative for the virus — and now will begin testing for bird flu twice per week," the CDFA said in the statement.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
1st US bird flu infection in a child confirmed by CDCThe child in California in the first confirmed case of H5 bird flu found in someone under the age of 18 in the United States.
Read more »
California case is the 1st confirmed bird flu infection in a US childState officials have said the child attends day care and lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland and surrounding communities.
Read more »
1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threatA pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu.
Read more »
1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threatA pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu.
Read more »
1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threatA pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu.
Read more »
1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threatIt's the first time the virus has been detected in U.S. swine and raises concerns about bird flu's potential to become a human threat.
Read more »