Minnesota officials monitoring human case of bird flu in Wisconsin closely
MINNEAPOLIS — Wisconsin has identified its first human case of the bird flu.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Wednesday that it had detected a presumptive positive human case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A, or H5N1, in Barron County.
The Wisconsin DHS said the human case followed an infected flock of commercial poultry in the same county. The person who contracted the disease had contact with the flock. The state DHS and Barron County Health and Human Services are monitoring farm workers who were exposed and informing them on how to protect their health. The DHS said the risk to the general public in Wisconsin is low.
In neighboring Minnesota, the Board of Animal Health is monitoring the situation closely.
"Minnesota has been experiencing a slight uptick in cases in poultry. We haven't had any cases in dairy cattle since the summer. No cases in humans," said State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs.
Hoefs said the virus typically is spread by migratory birds in the spring and fall. Many states are seeing outbreaks in commercial and backyard flocks.
"It's just indication this virus likes to change, and we need to keep tabs on it to make sure that it doesn't become more infectious to other species," he said.
The Centers for Disease Control says no person-to-person transmission has been detected and the risk to the general public remains low, a sentiment echoed by Minnesota Department of Health officials. MDH added it is working with "local, state, and national partners to monitor the situation and share information with workers, industry, and others about possible risks and prevention steps."
"It's definitely heartbreaking, not just for the farmer, but for the community around them as well," said Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls.
Kohls said farmers are doubling down on biosecurity measures.
"Now that we've seen a shift with livestock entering the picture for influenza, you know, there's an increased awareness that PPE needs to be more robust and has been in the past," Kohls said.
The CDC says symptoms can mimic the flu, but can cause more severe illness like pneumonia. Hoefs says people with backyard chickens should try to keep the flock away from wild birds and report any signs of illness to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
"Upping our game with biosecurity is the main message that we're trying to get out," Hoefs said.
Anyone who sees waterfowl or raptors in the wild acting strangely or appearing sick should report it to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Minnesota Department of Health officials say
