Missouri reports 1st human case of bird flu in the state

Missouri reported its first confirmed human case of bird flu in a person who reported no exposure to animals, the state's health department said Friday.

The case brings the national total to 14 so far this year, according to federal data.

The latest case in Missouri was in an adult with underlying medical conditions, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said in a press release. The person was hospitalized on Aug. 22 and has since recovered, the health department said.

"The patient has reported no exposure to animals," the health department said.

The information is preliminary and would require further investigation by health authorities.

The case of bird flu, also known as H5, was initially detected through the state's normal influenza surveillance testing program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also confirmed it to be a human case of the H5 subtype of flu, the Missouri health department said.

"The risk of sustained transmission or infection among the general public remains low," the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said.

Beyond Missouri, so far this year, 10 human cases of bird flu have been reported in Colorado, two in Michigan and one in Texas amid an outbreak in animals.

Before this year, there was only one reported case of bird flu in the United States -- in a Colorado poultry worker who was infected in 2022.

In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a bird flu strain that had sickened millions of birds across the U.S. was identified in several mammals this year, including dairy cows.

Health officials say the food supply is safe and the risk to the general public is currently low.

Signs and symptoms of infection in humans often include sore throat, cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue and shortness of breath. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Infections can range from no symptoms or mild illness, such as flu-like symptoms, to more severe illness, such as pneumonia that could require hospitalizations, the CDC said.