On October 10, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the fourth confirmed case of avian influenza in the state. While the risk of widespread transmission to the public remains low, officials are urging those who interact with infected animals to take special precautions.
The latest case was identified in an individual from the Central Valley who had contact with infected dairy cows. This case adds to three others already reported, with all four individuals having interacted with infected animals at four different farms.
Currently, there is no known connection between the confirmed cases, indicating that the virus is circulating in California primarily between animals and humans. So far, all cases have exhibited mild symptoms, including redness or discharge in the eyes (conjunctivitis), and none have required hospitalization.
Public health officials have stated that while the risk of a large-scale outbreak is low, they anticipate finding more infected individuals among those who have come into contact with the infected dairy cows. Workers on dairy and poultry farms are particularly at risk. The CDPH advises anyone who has contact with animals or materials that may be infected with the avian flu virus to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as goggles (face shields or safety glasses), N95 masks, and gloves.
In the past four months, the health department has distributed over 340,000 masks, 1.3 million pairs of gloves, and 160,000 pairs of goggles to relevant farms. The CDPH continues to collaborate with local health departments to track, test, confirm, and treat potential cases in real-time. California is one of 14 states affected by the infected dairy cow situation and has provided 5,000 doses of seasonal flu vaccines to farm workers through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Meanwhile, public health officials emphasize that pasteurized milk and dairy products remain safe for consumption, as pasteurization effectively inactivates the avian influenza virus. Additionally, as a precaution, milk from sick cows is not permitted in the public milk supply according to state and federal regulations.
Furthermore, health officials are warning anyone who may have been in contact with infected animals to monitor for symptoms such as red eyes (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and fever within ten days of exposure. If any of these symptoms arise, individuals should isolate themselves and contact their local health department for testing and treatment.
The public health department also strongly recommends that all Californians, especially farm workers, receive the seasonal flu vaccine to reduce the risk of infection.
