Missouri Bird Flu Case Mystery Deepens

Epidemiologists have not determined how a Missouri resident contracted bird flu, marking the 14th U.S. case this year. Unlike previous cases among farm workers, this individual was hospitalized with various symptoms. The CDC is investigating but has yet to link this case to current bird flu outbreaks in dairy cattle.

Epidemiologists remain baffled as to how a Missouri resident contracted bird flu last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed on Thursday.

The latest human case, the 14th in the U.S. this year, diverges from the previous 13 cases, which were farm workers linked to poultry or dairy farm outbreaks. The afflicted Missouri resident was hospitalized with chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, according to CDC principal deputy director Nirav Shah.

Investigations continue to determine whether the infection or the patient's underlying conditions caused the symptoms, with no evidence yet linking this case to the broader bird flu outbreak affecting over 200 dairy herds across 14 states since March, said Shah. “Right now, evidence points to this being a one-off case,” Shah added.