First Human Case of H5N1 in U.S.; 36 Herds Affected, 100M Vaccine Doses Ready

May 1, 2024, 09:28 PM

The United States is facing a significant outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu, with the virus now confirmed in 36 dairy herds across nine states. This marks the first known instance of transmission between cattle and humans, as a Texas farm worker has contracted the virus. Federal health officials are closely monitoring the situation and have prepared two potential vaccines for deployment if the virus begins to spread more widely among humans, with up to 100 million doses ready within months. The USDA is conducting studies on beef, and concerns have been raised about the agency's failure to include H5N1 genetic sequences in recent data releases. The outbreak has raised concerns about the safety of the food supply, although officials maintain that the risk to the general public remains low. Measures are being taken to monitor and control the spread of the virus in affected livestock populations.