LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The first case of bird flu has been identified in a Michigan farmworker, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
MDHHS reports the farmworker had regular exposure to livestock infected with the virus. The risk to the public remains low, and the farmworker has recovered from the mild symptoms.
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The virus has been circulating in dairy and poultry farms across the U.S. this spring, and state and local public health officials have been closely monitoring for human cases.
“Michigan has led a swift public health response, and we have been tracking this situation closely since influenza A (H5N1) was detected in poultry and dairy herds in Michigan, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Farmworkers who have been exposed to impacted animals have been asked to report even mild symptoms, and testing for the virus has been made available,”
Health officials identified both dairy and poultry farms that have tested positive for the virus in several Michigan counties. MDHHS recommends seasonal flu vaccination for people working on poultry or dairy farms.
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