Michigan Farmworker Becomes Second US Bird Flu Case Linked to Dairy Cows

A farmworker in Michigan has been diagnosed with bird flu, marking the second human case in the United States linked to an outbreak among dairy cows. The patient experienced mild symptoms and had been in contact with cows suspected to be infected with the virus. The first human case in the U.S. was reported in March in Texas, where a farmworker contracted the virus, marking the first known instance globally of a person catching this version of bird flu from a mammal.

The virus has been confirmed in 51 dairy herds across nine states, with high levels found in the raw milk of infected cows. However, pasteurized dairy products sold in grocery stores remain safe for consumption due to the heat treatment process. Health officials maintain that the risk to the general public is low, and there are no indications of human-to-human transmission. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continues to monitor the situation closely.