California reports suspected bird flu infection in Central Valley dairy worker

California health officials are investigating a possible case of H5N1 bird flue infection in a person who had contact with dairy cows in the Central Valley.

According to a Thursday news release from the California Department of Public Health, the person had mild symptoms and the risk to the general public remains low, “although people who interact with infected animals are at higher risk of getting bird flu.”

This human case, if confirmed, would be the fifth human case associated with bird flu-infected dairy cows in the U.S.

“Ongoing health checks of individuals who interact with potentially infected animals helped us quickly detect and respond to this possible human case. Fortunately, as we’ve seen in other states with human infections, the individual has experienced mild symptoms,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer in a press release.

As of Thursday, officials have reported 55 infected dairy herds in the state since the virus was first reported in a Central Valley herd in late August.

Experts say they are not surprised that a worker may have been infected.

“With the rapid spread and increased detection of more infected herds in California, it’s to be expected,” said Rick Bright, a virologist and the former head of the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “This outbreak of H5N1 is getting more concerning by the day.”

State officials identified the infected person as a worker at a dairy facility that experienced an outbreak among cattle. The person’s only symptom was conjunctivitis, or pinkeye.

The local health laboratory tested for H5N1, and the state was notified about a potential “presumptive positive” result.

Test results have been sent to the CDC for confirmation testing.

The person is being treated at home with antiviral medication.

Health officials did not provide any more information — such as age, gender or location — in order, they say, to protect the person.

Officials say that people who have been exposed to infected animals should look out for eye redness (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing, and fever in the 10 days after exposure.

If they start to feel sick, they should isolate themselves and contact their local public health department.

“This virus is out of control,” said Bright, noting that he hopes California will be “more forthcoming and transparent with data” than what he’s observed elsewhere.

“It is time for urgent and serious leadership and action to halt further transmission and mutation. The concept of letting it burn out through food animals, with unmonitored voluntary testing has failed,” he said. “There are pandemic playbooks that we need to dust off and begin to implement.”