The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday (Apr 5) issued a well being alert for the continued chicken flu disaster within the nation. In an advisory, the CDC talked a couple of latest case of a Texas farm employee testing constructive for H5N1 chicken flu. “The virus obtained from this person is nearly identical to what has been found in cows and birds in Texas,” the CDC mentioned. 

The CDC added that there was no signal of person-to-person unfold of the virus at the moment. “At this time, CDC believes that the overall risk to the general public posed by this virus remains low,” it added. 

The CDC additional mentioned that the contaminated farm employee in Texas had publicity to presumably contaminated cows. The affected person reported eye redness, or conjunctivitis, as their solely symptom and is recovering. “The patient was told to stay at home away from others and was treated with a flu antiviral drug,” the well being physique added. 

Highlighting that the present threat to the general public remained low, individuals with shut or lengthy unprotected exposures to contaminated birds or different animals, or environments contaminated by contaminated birds or different animals, are at higher threat of an infection.

The CDC issued a couple of precautions:

> People ought to keep away from unprotected publicity to sick or lifeless animals, together with wild birds, poultry, different domesticated birds, and different wild or domesticated animals together with cows. 

> People ought to keep away from unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding (litter), uncooked milk, or supplies which have been touched by, or near, birds or different animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 chicken flu.

> The CDC mentioned that folks shouldn’t put together or eat raw or undercooked meals or associated raw meals merchandise, similar to unpasteurized (uncooked) milk, or uncooked cheeses, from animals with suspected an infection.

> Amid considerations about how secure ingesting industrial milk, the CDC mentioned on Friday that it’s secure to drink such milk as it’s pasteurised earlier than getting into the market. Pasteurisation kills micro organism and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk, it added. 

> It can also be fit for human consumption correctly dealt with and cooked poultry.

The CDC additionally talked about some suggestions for farmers and livestock homeowners. It mentioned that such individuals ought to keep away from unprotected direct bodily contact or shut publicity with sick or lifeless birds or different animals, carcasses, faeces, milk, or litter from sick birds or different animals probably contaminated or confirmed to be contaminated with the virus.

“Farmers, workers, and responders should wear recommended PPE such as an N95 filtering facepiece respirator, eye protection, and gloves, and perform thorough hand washing after contact,” it added.