The CDC confirmed that a Colorado man has tested positive for the H5N1 influenza virus. The man is a worker on a poultry farm and resides in a state correctional facility. He complains of fatigue and is taking oseltamivir (Tamiflu).
Repeat tests on the person were negative for influenza. That may indicate that the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus was contracted from infected poultry and was present in the person’s nose without causing infection.
The infected flock has been euthanized and disposed of under the guidance of the USDA and CDA. All members of the response team, including other inmate workers, were provided personal protective equipment while working on the farm, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
H3N8 bird flu in China
China also reported H3N8 bird influenza in a four-year-old. According to Fox News, the National Health Commission (NHC) said the variant was found in a 4-year-old boy from Henan province.
A portion of the AI translation of the NHC report is found below. Emphasis added.
The patient, a male, 4 years old, lives in Zhumadian City, Henan Province. Before the onset of the disease, the patient had raised chickens and black-bone chickens at home, and there were wild ducks around the home.
He developed fever and other symptoms on April 5 and was admitted to a local medical institution for treatment on the 10th due to aggravation of his condition. On the 24th, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a test on the patient specimen sent from Henan Province, and the result was positive for the H3N8 avian influenza virus.
According to Wikipedia,
Henan has some of the most advanced transportation systems in China due to its flat terrain and its location at the heart of central China’s construction boom.
This reminds me of Wuhan, which is also a transportation hub that helped the spread of COVID-19 worldwide.
Significance of human cases of bird flu
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (A/H5N1) is a subtype of the influenza A virus that can cause illness in humans and other animal species.
A/H5N1 is acquired from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus type A subtype H5N1, HPAI A (H5N1).In 2008, eleven outbreaks were reported.
The H5N1 is highly pathogenic. The H5N1 avian influenza hemagglutinin binds to the lungs’ alpha 2-3 sialic acid receptors, leading to replication and viral pneumonia.
The reported mortality rate of the H5N1 avian influenza in a human is high. The WHO data indicate that 60% of cases classified as H5N1 resulted in death. However, the actual mortality rate may be lower since many people are not diagnosed, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The COVID-19 mortality rate is 0.1 to 5.7% depending on the country based on Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
So far, no human-to-human transmission is documented. If that happens, the lockdowns and quarantines will be more strict than COVID-19.
High prices of chicken and eggs
What is certain is that the prices of chicken and eggs will continue to rise since every time bird flu is detected on a poultry farm, the whole stock is destroyed. The Guardian reports that a US egg factory roasts alive 5.3m chickens in avian flu cull – then fires almost every worker.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 35.52 million birds have been infected in 29 states.
Avoid the bird flu
- Please avoid contact with poultry or birds found in their yards that appear ill or are dead.
- Avoid contact with surfaces contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds.
- If you must handle sick or dead poultry, wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water afterward. Wear respiratory protection such as a medical facemask and eye protection such as goggles.
Don’t Get Sick!
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