Health
Bird flu concerns mount as California reports more human cases
Concerns about bird flu — officially known as avian influenza A (H5) — continue to mount, particularly in California.
As of Oct. 14, the state has had six confirmed and five possible human cases of bird flu, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
All of the affected individuals reportedly had direct contact with infected cattle at nine dairy farms, the department stated.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting tests to confirm the five possible cases.
All the individuals experienced “mild symptoms,” including eye redness or discharge (conjunctivitis), the CDPH stated. None were hospitalized.
As of Oct. 14, California has had six confirmed and five possible human cases of bird flu. (iStock)
There is not a concern at this point about human-to-human transmission, according to the agency.
“Given the amount of exposure to infected cows, evidence continues to suggest only animal-to-human spread of the virus in California,” said the CDPH statement.
“Evidence continues to suggest only animal-to-human spread of the virus.”
“Additionally, based on CDC’s genomic sequencing of three California bird flu cases, there is no evidence to suggest an increased ability for the virus to infect or spread between people and no known reduced susceptibility to antiviral medications.”
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As of Oct. 15, there were a total of 20 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S., according to the CDC.
Colorado and California have had the most cases, with others reported in Michigan, Missouri and Texas, the same source stated.
Getting the flu vaccine also makes it less likely that someone will end up with a suspected case of avian flu as a result of having the seasonal flu and a history of animal exposure, an expert said. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)
Roughly half of those were linked to exposure to infected cattle and the other half to infected poultry.
“To a large extent, the higher numbers we are seeing in California, and previously in Colorado, are due to more aggressive monitoring and case finding efforts in those states, rather than necessarily reflecting a larger burden of disease,” Shira Doron, M.D., chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine Health System in Boston, told Fox News Digital.
“Seasonal flu cases will be rising soon, and we will need to distinguish quickly between regular flu and avian flu, especially in animal workers,” an expert noted. (iStock)
“California has one of the more comprehensive programs to find avian influenza in its cattle herds, and when they find sick cows, they monitor exposed health care workers,” she went on.
“The disease has been mostly very mild, so it will only be detected if looked for.”
Should people be concerned?
It’s not known whether the strain that is causing avian flu in cows will ever mutate into a strain that can be spread from human to human, according to Doron.
“Right now, with no evidence of human-to-human spread, it does not have the potential to become a human pandemic, but that could change,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Obviously, scientists and public health officials should be concerned, and should take action to limit the spread of this disease in farm animals.”
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Farm owners and farm workers should also be concerned, she said.
“They should be taking measures to protect those who work closely with animals, especially cows and chickens,” Doron advised.
“It is not time to vaccinate more broadly yet, given the small number of cases, absence of proven human-to-human transmission and mostly mild infection,” said an expert. (iStock)
Sam Scarpino, PhD, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, said he finds the rising number of human H5N1 cases “concerning.”
“The more spillovers to humans, the more chances there are for the wrong variant to find itself in a person and spark an epidemic,” he told Fox News Digital.
There’s currently no evidence, however, that the virus has mutated to become more infectious in humans, Scarpino said.
“At this point, there’s no excuse for a farm worker to die from an H5N1 infection.”
“Most likely, we are seeing the impact of an increasing number of infected dairy farms leading to an increasing number of human infections,” he said.
“California also has active efforts for both human and dairy cattle surveillance, so ascertainment may be higher than in other states.”
Tips for prevention
Although experts say the risk for human-to-human transmission remains low, they recommend certain public health precautions.
“People who have close contact with animals, particularly farm animals and wild birds, should be taking precautions,” Doron advised.
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The CDC also recommends that farm workers wear personal protective equipment — such as gloves, goggles and face shields — and that farms follow guidance to prevent the spread of the virus between animals.
“Even if a large outbreak isn’t sparked, the risk to farm workers is clearly higher, and we need to ensure they are protected,” Scarpino told Fox News Digital.
“At this point, there’s no excuse for a farm worker to die from an H5N1 infection.”
All of the affected individuals in California reportedly had direct contact with infected cattle at nine dairy farms, the health department stated. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
It’s also important for people to get their seasonal flu shot, experts say.
“While it is not likely to protect against avian flu, it will help people avoid being infected with the seasonal and avian strain at the same time, which can lead to genetic mixing and emergence of a pandemic strain,” said Doron.
Getting the flu vaccine also makes it less likely that someone will end up with a suspected case of avian flu as a result of having the seasonal flu and a history of animal exposure, she added.
Vaccines for bird flu are currently in development.
“It is not time to vaccinate more broadly yet, given the small number of cases, absence of proven human-to-human transmission and mostly mild infection,” said Doron.
Roughly half of the infections were linked to exposure to infected cattle and the other half to infected poultry. (iStock)
It is important for tests to be commercially available for avian flu, however.
“Seasonal flu cases will be rising soon, and we will need to distinguish quickly between regular flu and avian flu, especially in animal workers,” Doron noted.
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“Right now, to test for avian flu, specimens have to go to special public health labs and the results take days to return. We are going to need answers more quickly if we want people to be able to properly isolate and prevent spread.”
The CDC recommends that farm workers wear personal protective equipment — such as gloves, goggles and face shields — and that farms follow guidance to prevent the spread of the virus between animals. (iStock)
The CDPH recommends that California residents monitor for bird flu symptoms for 10 days after exposure.
Those include eye redness (conjunctivitis), sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle or body aches, fatigue, headaches, trouble breathing and fever.
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“If they start to feel sick, they should immediately isolate, notify their local public health department, and work with public health and health care providers to get timely testing and treatment,” the agency advises on its website.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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