SONOMA, CA – AUGUST 16: USGS Biologist Science Tech Brooke Hill (R) and wetlands biologist Leonard Liu (L) examine a Western Sandpiper as they test it for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza August 16, 2006 in Sonoma, California. Officials from the USGS are beginning to test migratory birds arriving from Alaska as part of a multi-million dollar nationwide effort to detect the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in migratory birds. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Public health officials in California are investigating two human cases of bird flu, the California Department of Public Health said Thursday.
Both cases are located in the Central Valley region, and both patients had contact with dairy cattle that had been infected with H5 bird flu.
There is no known link between the two cases.
The two patients are said to be experiencing mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis. They are not hospitalized for the virus.
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While the risk to the general public remains low, those who interacted with infected animals, including dairy or poultry farm workers, are at higher risk of getting bird flu. The animal-to-human spread of the virus is rare.
Public health officials also assure that pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume as pasteurization inactivates the bird flu virus.
Those who work with farm animals should wear personal protective equipment or PPE, such as N95 masks, face shields, goggles and gloves, the public health department said.
