May 31 (AFP) – U.S. authorities reported on the 31st that a third person has been confirmed to have been infected with avian influenza in dairy cows.

The latest confirmed case is a farm worker in Michigan, and is the second case in the state. The first case in April was confirmed in Texas.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said all three cases were caused by cow-to-human transmission, rather than the more concerning human-to-human transmission.

However, while the previous two cases had mild symptoms, this time it was reported that the symptoms were “more typical of acute respiratory illness associated with influenza virus infection.” Symptoms such as cough without fever, eye discomfort, and eye discharge were also observed.

The patient was isolated at home and treated with the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir, and his symptoms subsided.

The Michigan Department of Health said the worker was not using personal protective equipment (PPP), which officials recommend for close contact with dairy herds.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus has been detected in more than 50 species of animals in the United States in recent weeks, including dairy cows. On the 28th, the H5N1 virus was detected in multiple alpacas at a farm in Idaho. (c)AFP