Cattle at a dairy farm in Porterville, California, US, on Friday, 28 October 2022. (Photo: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg) The avian influenza infections, also known as H5N1, were detected in workers exposed to sick dairy cattle, the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. There’s no known link between the people, and both experienced only mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis, the agency said. Neither had respiratory symptoms or was hospitalised.
An investigation in California is ongoing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which confirmed the two cases through laboratory testing. In total, the CDC has identified 16 human cases of bird flu across the country.
The risk of infection to the general public remains low, the CDC said.
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California, the largest milk producer in the country, is one of 14 states that’s identified sick herds of dairy cattle. H5N1 was first identified in California cows in August.
The state is seeking to lower the risk to farm workers with personal protective equipment. Over the last four months, the state health department has distributed more than 340,000 respirators, 1.3 million gloves and 160,000 goggles and face shields, among other forms of protection. It’s also distributed seasonal flu shots to farmworkers.
The state health department said that pasteurised milk and dairy products continue to be safe to consume.