Wyoming Identifies First Human Case of Bird Flu

By Christy Santhosh

Feb 14 (Reuters) – The Wyoming Department of Health said on Friday it has identified its first human case of H5N1 bird flu in the region, making it the third confirmed instance of hospitalization related to the infection in the United States.

“The woman is hospitalized in another state, has health conditions that can make people more vulnerable to illness, and was likely exposed to the virus through direct contact with an infected poultry flock at her home,” Wyoming’s state health officer Alexia Harrist said.

Bird flu has infected nearly 70 people in the United States, with one death, since last April. Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, has said the risk of infection to the general public is low.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave a conditional approval to animal healthcare company Zoetis ZTS.N to use its bird flu vaccine in poultry.

(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)