The Los Angeles County Division of Public Well being (LACDPH) stated yesterday that assessments have confirmed H5 avian flu in two cats that died after consuming recalled uncooked milk that it’s investigating three different potential instances in cats that weren’t uncovered to uncooked milk.
In different developments, well being officers in Wisconsin and Louisiana shared a couple of extra sickness particulars on lately introduced suspected and confirmed human instances, respectively, and federal officers confirmed extra outbreaks in cows and poultry.
Uncooked meat could also be offender in newest cat sicknesses
The confirmed LA County infections contain indoor cats from the identical family, which have been initially introduced as suspected instances on December 12. After consuming uncooked milk from Uncooked Farm, the cats skilled urge for food loss, fever, and neurologic indicators. They initially examined optimistic for influenza A, which officers stated is uncommon in cats. Different pets within the family are below quarantine.
In the meantime, officers are investigating potential infections in three different cats from a special family. One examined optimistic for influenza A, and the others died from presumed influenza A. Affirmation assessments are below approach.
The three cats with suspected infections haven’t any identified publicity to uncooked milk, and investigators are inspecting different potential sources of the virus, together with uncooked meat. Individuals uncovered to the three cats are below symptom monitoring and have been supplied antiviral prophylaxis.
Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, Med, director of LACDPH, stated, “The chance of H5 chicken flu stays low in Los Angeles County, however these confirmed instances of the virus in pet cats are a reminder that consuming uncooked dairy and meat merchandise can result in extreme sickness in cats.”
She urged residents and their pets to keep away from uncooked milk and undercooked meat merchandise, restrict publicity to sick and useless animals, report sick and useless birds, and preserve pets and poultry away from wild birds.
Extra particulars on current human instances
In different developments, Wisconsin well being officers shared extra particulars in regards to the state’s first presumptive optimistic case, introduced yesterday.
At a media briefing following the announcement yesterday, Thomas Haupt, MS, respiratory illness epidemiologist with the Wisconsin Division of Well being Providers, stated the affected person is a girl who labored on a farm and had gentle flu signs that included sore throat, a slight fever, fatigue, and a few eye discharge. She has completed a course of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and is recovering.
Darlene Konkle, DVM, Wisconsin’s state veterinarian, stated although the genotype is not identified, the virus that contaminated the employee is probably going a genotype circulating in wild birds, provided that Wisconsin would not have any outbreaks of the B3.13 virus in dairy cattle.
Relating to Louisiana’s lately confirmed extreme case, BNO Information reported yesterday, citing a well being division spokeswoman, that the affected person is older than 65 years and has underlying medical circumstances. The affected person stays hospitalized and is in crucial situation.
Extra confirmations in dairy cows, poultry
The US Division of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Well being Inspection Service (APHIS) as we speak confirmed yet one more outbreak in dairy cattle in California. The affirmation lifts the state’s complete since late August to 650 and the nationwide complete to 866 throughout 16 states.
As well as, APHIS confirmed extra poultry outbreaks in 4 states, together with a yard flock in Louisiana’s Jefferson Davis Parish within the southwest, marking the state’s second such outbreak. Two different confirmations have been in yard flocks North Dakota’s Nelson County and Iowa’s Monona County.
In the meantime, the virus was confirmed at extra industrial farms, together with layer services in Iowa’s O’Brien and Sioux counties, a turkey farm in Iowa’s Value County, and a layer pullet farm in California’s Merced County.
In a associated improvement, the Wisconsin Division of Agriculture, Commerce, and Shopper Safety yesterday reported a second outbreak in poultry, this time in Kenosha County within the southeast nook of the state.
