California Child First U.S. Minor With Bird Flu

Health officials have confirmed the first case of bird flu in a U.S. minor, a child from Alameda County, California, who is recovering after mild symptoms and treatment with antiviral medication. This case adds to a total of 55 reported bird flu infections in the U.S. this year, with California accounting for 29 of those cases. Most infections have been among farmworkers, while the infection source for a non-farmworker adult in Missouri remains unclear. Although the child’s household members reported similar symptoms, they tested negative for bird flu, leading officials to investigate a potential exposure to wild birds. Public health officials emphasize that no human-to-human transmission has been documented for over 15 years, indicating a low risk to the public. Meanwhile, a Canadian teenager has also been hospitalized with bird flu, highlighting ongoing concerns about the virus's spread among wildlife and livestock.