Breaking: U.S. case of H5 bird flu with no known link to animals reported

Missouri resident who had no contact with animals tests positive for bird flu

By Helen Branswell

CDC and NIAID

A person in Missouri who didn't report any contact with animals has tested positive for H5 bird flu, the state's Department of Health and Senior Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. It's not yet clear if the person was infected with the same virus strain that's causing the ongoing outbreak among dairy cattle.

The individual, who had been hospitalized on Aug. 22, had a number of underlying health issues. The person has since recovered and has been released, the state said in its statement.

The CDC said this is the first case of H5 bird flu detected through the country's national flu surveillance system. Missouri has not reported any H5N1 outbreaks in dairy cattle. Fourteen states, including three that neighbor Missouri, have reported a total of 197 infected herds since the virus was first detected in cows in late March. The state has reported some infections in poultry.

READ THE STORY