The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised an alert about a human case of bird flu in Texas. A farm worker who recently tested positive for the deadly avian virus has sparked this warning. The worker developed an eye infection and later tested positive for the bird flu. Reports suggest he contracted the virus from dairy cows at the commercial farm where he works.
It’s worth mentioning that he’s the second person in the United States to be diagnosed with this disease. The first case was identified in Colorado earlier this year, in April. Despite these reports, the CDC has assured the public that the risk remains low, particularly for those who don’t work closely with animals.
The bird flu virus, also known as HPAI, has a history of being deadly, with a mortality rate of over 50% from 2003 to 2016. The current outbreak, now the worst in U.S history, has affected over 82 million birds across 48 states. Therefore, the CDC has advised those at a higher risk, such as individuals working with birds, cattle, and other wildlife, to take preventive measures.
This story highlights the importance of jumps in the virus from animals to humans, a process known as zoonotic transmission. The significance of this issue underlines the need for strict health and safety procedures when handling animals.
Vocabulary Insights:
- Alert /??l??rt/ (noun): A warning of a potentially dangerous situation.
- Avian /?e?vi?n/ (adj.): Relating to birds.
- Eye Infection /a? ?n?f?k??n/ (noun): An infection that affects the eye or its surrounding tissue.
- HPAI /?e?t??pi??e??a?/ (noun): High Pathogenic Avian Influenza, a severe form of bird flu virus that is dangerous to both birds and humans.
- Higher Risk /?ha??r r?sk/ (phrase): A greater chance of being exposed to danger or harm.
- Jumps /d??mps/ (noun): Sudden movements or transitions, in this context referring to the transmission of a virus from one species to another.
- Zoonotic Transmission /zo?.??n?t.?k træn?sm??.?n/ (noun): The process by which infectious diseases are transmitted from animals to humans.
Vocabulary List:
- Alert (noun): A warning of a potentially dangerous situation.
- Avian (adj.): Relating to birds.
- Eye Infection (noun): An infection that affects the eye or its surrounding tissue.
- HPAI (noun): High Pathogenic Avian Influenza a severe form of bird flu virus that is dangerous to both birds and humans.
- Higher Risk (phrase): A greater chance of being exposed to danger or harm.
- Jumps (noun): Sudden movements or transitions in this context referring to the transmission of a virus from one species to another.
