The bird flu infection in the child in California was consistent with other bird flu infections in the U.S. The child had mild respiratory symptoms and received antiviral treatments.

The child’s test showed a low level of viral load, meaning that there were low levels of the bird flu virus present in the child.  Several days after the initial test the child tested negative for bird flu but tested positive for another common respiratory virus.

All household contacts reported symptoms, all were tested and all tested negative for bird flu but positive for another respiratory virus.

There is no evidence of human-to-human spread, and an investigation into the source of exposure in this case is ongoing.

In early November, Canada saw its first case of bird flu, which was also in a child. This strain was different than the one circulating in dairy cows in the U.S., and is more closely related to the strain circulating in wild birds.

An investigation did not find a source of exposure, nor did they find any evidence of human-to-human transmission.

Flu, COVID-19, and RSV cases are higher than they were in the summer months, but this is a normal seasonal trend for respiratory diseases. Public health experts expect hospitalizations for these three diseases to be lower or similar to last year.

Vaccines can help prevent severe respiratory diseases, and the COVID-19 and Flu vaccines are available at most pharmacies. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines with some rare exceptions. RSV vaccines are recommended for adults ages 75 and older, or those 65-74 at an increased risk of disease.

Over the counter medications such as nasal sprays with phenylephrine can help reduce a stuffy nose (congestion), but medications taken by mouth (oral) with phenylephrine are not effective.

If you feel sick or start having symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, stay home and away from others for 24 hours or until you no longer have a fever and your other symptoms are improving.

Respiratory disease cases vary locally. Some states get outbreaks at different times than others.

Sometimes respiratory disease case data is not available in real time.

On November 21st the bird flu virus H5N1 was detected in raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC. The virus was found in several products already on retail shelves. Raw Milk Farms, LLC has voluntarily recalled its products and suspended production while the farm is under quarantine. California has also suspended the sale of Raw Farm milk products.

There have been no confirmed cases of a person getting bird flu from raw milk. Lab tests have shown that the bird flu virus in raw milk is still infectious, and cats have gotten the virus from drinking raw milk.

Two cats in LA County in California died after drinking raw milk linked to the recall, and tested positive for Influenza A. The county has labeled these cases as suspected bird flu and is awaiting further test results. People who were in close contact with the cats are being monitored for symptoms.

While there have been limited studies due to the relatively recent outbreak of the bird flu virus in dairy cows, pasteurization has been shown to kill the bird flu virus in milk, as well as other harmful pathogens that could make people sick. Pasteurized milk is still considered safe to drink, and no live bird flu virus has been found in retail pasteurized milk to date.

Some people prefer to drink raw milk due to taste, supporting local agriculture, or for health benefits. Research to date shows that while there may be some health benefits to drinking raw milk, the majority of scientists agree that the risk of getting sick from it outweighs the possible benefits. More research is needed on the possible health benefits of raw milk, and on sanitization and hygiene practices in raw milk production.

Some people are more likely to get sick from drinking raw milk that may contain traces of harmful bacteria. This includes children, adults over the age of 65, pregnant people, and those with compromised immune systems. The FDA advises against drinking raw milk.

Research on the risks of drinking raw milk has been well-established in scientific research, but more research is needed on possible health benefits and hygiene practices that could make raw milk safter to drink. Currently, it is recommended to drink pasteurized milk, especially with the recent bird flu outbreak in dairy cows. 

We are still learning if people can get sick from drinking cows milk containing live bird flu virus.