First paediatric case of bird flu reported in the US
The source is unknown, but the infection comes as several states battle outbreaks in dairy cows and poultry.
Health authorities have reported the first known US case of H5N1 avian influenza in a child.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the child, in California, experienced mild symptoms similar to the previously identified human cases in the US and is now recovering.
“Including this most recent case, 55 human cases of H5 bird flu have now been reported in the US during 2024, with 29 in California,” the CDC said in a news release.
The paediatric case was identified through influenza surveillance testing.
