Avian flu, another 5 possible human infections in California

The California Department of Public Health has reported five new potential cases of the A/H5N1 virus among livestock workers. The results of tests conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are pending. If confirmed, the number of individuals infected with avian influenza within the state would increase to 11. All cases reported, including the most recent five, have manifested mild symptoms, particularly conjunctivitis. All five individuals had been in direct contact with infected dairy cattle on different farms. The current assessment is that the risk to the general population remains low, based on the available evidence which indicates that the virus has only been transmitted from animals to humans.