Oregon reports first human bird flu case

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a person was part of a previously reported outbreak in affected birds at a commercial poultry operation in Oregon.

State health officials would not name the location of the specific outbreak other than Clackamas County.

“Clackamas County Public Health Division has been closely monitoring people exposed to the animal outbreak, which is how this case was identified,” said Dr. Sarah Present, public health officer for Clackamas County. “The individual experienced only mild illness and has fully recovered.”

There is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission, and the public’s risk remains low.

“We continue to remind the public that people at increased risk of infection are those who have had close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals, or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, health officer and state epidemiologist at Oregon Health Authority (OHA).