A person in Missouri has become the first American to be diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu without having been in contact with animals, in a potentially worrying development.
This is the 14th person infected in the United States since the strain first hit livestock earlier this year, but the first who has not been directly exposed to an infected bird or cow.
It’s still unclear how the Missouri woman became infected, but experts have been warning against drinking raw milk for months for fear the virus could spread to people through this route.
A person in Missouri has become the first American to be diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu without having been in contact with animals (stock)
Since 2022, 15 people have tested positive for bird flu in the U.S., and scientists have traced all of those infections back to an affected animal, either a dairy cow or a bird.
Fourteen of those infections, including the Missouri man, occurred this year, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.