By Leah Douglas
(Reuters) -California’s public health department reported a possible case of bird flu in a child with mild symptoms on Tuesday, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus and that the child’s family members tested negative.
Bird flu has infected 53 people in the U.S. since April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The test specimens from the sick child are being sent to the CDC for confirmation, California said.
The child was in daycare with mild symptoms before the illness was reported, the state said. Other individuals who were in contact with the child are being offered treatment and testing.
“It’s natural for people to be concerned, and we want to reinforce for parents, caregivers and families that based on the information and data we have, we don’t think the child was infectious,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomas Aragon, adding, “and no human-to-human spread of bird flu has been documented in any country for more than 15 years.”
Most of the bird flu cases, including 26 in California, have occurred among farm workers working with poultry or dairy cows that were infected with the virus.
(Reporting by Leah DouglasEditing by Bill Berkrot)
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