US' first human case of bird flu not linked to animals reported in Missouri

A person in Missouri is the United States’ first case of H5 avian influenza without a known exposure to a sick animal. It marks the 14th human case of H5 reported in the United States in 2024 and the first case without a known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals. This case was detected through the country’s national flu surveillance system rather than targeted surveillance of the ongoing bird flu outbreak in animals. The person had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized, tested positive for influenza A, and has since recovered and returned home. There have been no cases of bird flu among cattle in Missouri, but outbreaks have occurred among poultry in the state. The CDC states that the general public’s risk assessment for H5N1 remains low.