BY THE END OF LAST WEEK, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL HAD CONFIRMED 64 HUMAN CASES OF BIRD FLU IN NINE STATES. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO EVIDENCE BIRD FLU IS BEING SPREAD FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN.
DR. MATHEW BINNICKER, A PATHOLOGIST AT THE MAYO CLINIC, SAYS GETTING A FLU SHOT CAN HELP PREVENT THE FLU VIRUSES THAT ARE BEING SPREAD FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN FROM CO-MINGLING WITH THE BIRD FLU — AND YIELDING A NEW STRAIN OF INFLUENZA.
THIS FALL THE U-S-D-A ANNOUNCED PIGS AT A FARM IN OREGON HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR BIRD FLU — THE FIRST TIME THE VIRUS HAD BEEN CONFIRMED IN SWINE. SO FAR THIS YEAR, BIRD FLU HAS BEEN DETECTED IN 13 IOWA DAIRY HERDS. DR. BINNICKER IS RECOMMENDING THAT CONSUMERS STAY AWAY FROM RAW MILK AND OTHER UNPASTEURIZED DAIRY PRODUCTS, LIKE CHEESE.
HE SAYS. LAST WEEK, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REPORTED A SUSPECTED CASE OF BIRD FLU IN A CHILD WHO HAD CONSUMED RAW MILK.
