First human case of bird flu in Texas detected after contact with infected dairy cattle - eviltoast

The person had contact with infected cattle, state health officials said. It’s the second recorded human case in the U.S.

A person in Texas became ill with bird flu after contact with infected dairy cattle, state officials reported Monday.

It’s the first human case of the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza in Texas, and it’s the second recorded in the U.S., according to the health alert state officials issued.

“The risk to the general public is believed to be low; however, people with close contact with affected animals suspected of having avian influenza A(H5N1) have a higher risk of infection,” the alert said.

The patient’s primary symptom was conjunctivitis, or eye redness, according to the alert.