CHURCHILL COUNTY, Nev. (KOLO) – The Central Nevada Health District is confirming the first and only known case of avian flu infection in Nevada.
They say the case is in an adult man who was exposed to infected dairy cattle while working on a dairy farm in Churchill County. According to the Health District, the man had conjunctivitis with no reported symptoms and is recovering.
The CDC considers the risk to the public for avian flu to be low, and the Health District says there is currently no evidence of person to person spread of the virus.
Close contacts of the infected person and other workers exposed at the farm are being contacted and monitored for symptoms. They are also being offered PPE, testing and anti-viral medication. No additional cases have been confirmed at this time.
The Health District advises people to avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected or suspected to be infected with bird flu viruses.
They also issued these tips:
- Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings and do not bring sick wild animals into your home.
- Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces.
- Do not eat uncooked or undercooked food. Cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
- Avoid uncooked food products such as unpasteurized raw milk or cheeses.
- If you work on poultry or dairy farms, talk to your provider about getting your seasonal flu vaccination. It will not prevent infection with avian influenza viruses, but it can reduce the risk of coinfection with avian and flu viruses.
- Report dead or sick birds or animals to the USDA Wildlife Services at (775) 851-4848. Poultry and livestock owners should report sick or dead animals to their veterinarians and the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
Symptoms of the virus can develop within 10 days after exposure to sick or dead animals.
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