A dairy worker in Nevada was diagnosed with a newly identified strain of bird flu, marking the first known human case linked to cows, health officials said.
Mike Stobbe and Jonel Aleccia report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The worker experienced mild symptoms, mainly eye irritation, and has since recovered.
- The D1.1 strain had previously been detected in poultry but was found in Nevada cattle in January.
- Health officials say the risk to the public remains low, but those working closely with infected animals should take precautions.
Why this matters:
While bird flu has historically been associated with poultry, recent cases in cattle suggest the virus is adapting to new hosts, complicating efforts to contain its spread.
Public health officials are closely monitoring the situation, as those who work directly with infected animals — whether in dairies, poultry farms or meat processing plants — face a high risk of exposure. The virus’s presence in multiple species raises questions about how it is transmitted and whether it could evolve in ways that make human-to-human spread more likely.
Related: Bird flu's toll on wildlife and potential risks to humans
