LANSING, Mich. — The first human case of Avian Flu in Michigan has been confirmed in a farm worker.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services say the person tested positive for influenza A (H5). That strain of flu is among the many that are carried by different bird species.
The farm worker reportedly had mild symptoms and fully recovered.
The state has been working to track cases of Avian Flu in many commercial chicken flocks, and provided farms with a way to report any workers who became ill.
“Michigan has led a swift public health response, and we have been tracking this situation closely since influenza A (H5N1) was detected in poultry and dairy herds in Michigan. Farmworkers who have been exposed to impacted animals have been asked to report even mild symptoms, and testing for the virus has been made available,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “The current health risk to the general public remains low. This virus is being closely monitored, and we have not seen signs of sustained human-to-human transmission at this point. This is exactly how public health is meant to work, in early detection and monitoring of new and emerging illnesses.”
Avian flu's impact has been felt in West Michigan. Herburck's Poultry Ranch in Ionia County lost a significant portion of its flock because of the flu. 400 workers are losing their jobs because of the chickens who have died.
Helath officials say the risk to a widespread outbreak of Avian Flu in people remains low.
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