BARRON COUNTY (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has detected the first presumptive positive human case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) — also known as bird flu —, DHS announced in a news release on Wednesday.
The human case was reported in Barron County, shortly after health officials detected a case of the virus in a commercial poultry flock in the same county on December 12.
In a media briefing Wednesday afternoon, health officials confirmed the infected patient from Barron County is a farm worker.
Thomas Haupt, Influenza Surveillance Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Health, says the patient from Barron County had mild symptoms and is doing "much better" as of Wednesday afternoon.
In Kenosha County, it was announced on Wednesday by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) that another case of the bird flu was identified in a backyard poultry flock.
According to the DHS, the risk to the general public in Wisconsin remains low. People who work with infected animals or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk, DHS advises.
DHS clarifies in the release that "the virus does not spread easily from animals to people. People who have gotten sick with bird flu have been in direct contact with infected animals."
Symptoms of bird flu in people include sore throat, fever, muscle aches, cough and eye infections.
DHS advises that anyone who develops symptoms of flu or an eye infection and has been in contact with animals possibly infected should stay home and call their doctor's office or clinic before visiting — to prevent other patients from exposure.
DHS also advises to take general precautions when handling raw meat and raw eggs, to avoid the potential spread of germs. Measures suggested by the DHS include:
- Washing hands and surfaces, before and after food preparation.
- Avoiding using the same utensils on raw meat as on other foods — even cooked meat.
- Cooking raw meat thoroughly.
Prevention information for farm workers or others who have close contact with birds and other animals can be found here. For more general information, please refer to the full release on their website.
