Bird Flu Spreads: California Farm Workers Affected

Have you ever heard of bird flu? Well, it's making waves again, especially in California. Two more dairy farm workers have been diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu, bringing the total to six in the state and 20 nationwide. Most cases are linked to sick poultry or dairy cows. Luckily, the symptoms have been mild so far, with no hospitalizations needed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the risk to the public is low, but those around infected animals should be cautious. The virus from the California cases is closely related to those found in dairy cattle. No big changes have been seen that suggest it can spread easily among people or become resistant to medicines. California health officials are working hard to keep everyone safe. They're providing health checks and vaccines to farm workers to reduce the risk of getting both bird flu and seasonal flu at the same time. This could make the bird flu more dangerous. The U. S. Department of Agriculture reports that 298 dairy herds in 14 states have been hit by the H5 bird flu virus. It's a serious situation, but health officials are on it.