By Lisa Schnirring
In new H5N1 avian flu confirmations today, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that the virus hit more flocks in four states, including another massive layer farm in Ohio, the nation’s second biggest poultry producer.
Over the past several weeks, Ohio has been one of main outbreak epicenters, with one of the latest events involving a commercial farm in Darke County that has more than 3 million birds, according to APHIS. The virus also struck another layer farm in Ohio’s Mercer County, a facility that has nearly 85,000 birds.
Elsewhere, the virus struck two more commercial farms in Indiana, another hard-hit state. The latest outbreaks occurred at a turkey farm in Washington County and a commercial duck-breeding facility in Elkhart County. The virus was also confirmed in backyard birds in two states, a location in Florida’s Broward County and a location in New York’s Delaware County.
Over the last 30 days alone, ongoing H5N1 outbreaks have led to the loss of nearly 19 million birds.
In dairy herd developments, over the last few days, APHIS confirmed one more detection, which involves another herd from Nevada. The state now has eight affected herds. Since the virus first emerged in dairy cattle about a year ago, detections have been reported in 973 herds across 17 states.
CDC updates status of two recent human cases
In updates on February 21, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed H5N1 in samples from an Ohio poultry worker whose illness was first reported on February 12. The CDC had initially listed as a probable case.
In its latest FluView update, the CDC added a few more details about the two recent human cases, including the one from Ohio and a patient from Wyoming. It said the patient from Ohio worked on an outbreak farm and was involved in culling activities. The patient was hospitalized with respiratory and nonrespiratory symptoms and now recovering at home. Meanwhile, a recently reported patient from Wyoming who got sick after exposure to backyard poultry remains hospitalized after experiencing both respiratory and nonrespiratory symptoms.
The CDC has confirmed 70 cases, one of them fatal, since early 2024. The agency has also recorded seven probable cases.
Source : umn.edu