The Texas dairy farm worker infected with H5N1 bird flu was not wearing respiratory or eye protection and had been exposed to cattle that appeared to have the same symptoms as those in a nearby farm with a confirmed outbreak of the virus, according to new details on the case released on Friday.

The details, reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine, underscore the risk to farm workers in the ongoing outbreak among U.S. dairy cattle and the need to wear protective gear to avoid infection.

The outbreak – the first in cattle – is so far known to have infected 36 dairy herds in nine states.

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Infection by the bird virus is rare in humans, and the dairy worker’s case, first reported in March, represents only the second known human infection in the United States.

It follows a worrisome spread of the virus in a variety of mammal species, raising concerns that widespread exposure of people could cause the virus to spread more easily among the population and spark a global pandemic.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the report said the farm worker developed a serious infection in his right eye known as conjunctivitis, or pink eye, but had no signs of respiratory infection or fever.

The worker had not reported any contact with sick or dead birds or other animals, but did have close exposure with sick dairy cows, with symptoms such as decreased milk production, reduced appetite and lethargy.

The worker had been wearing gloves but no respiratory or eye protection.

The CDC is urging farmers, workers, and emergency responders to wear appropriate protective gear when in direct or close physical contact with sick birds, livestock, feces, raw milk or contaminated surfaces.

An analysis of the outbreak released on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests the virus has been circulating in U.S. dairy cows for about four months before being reported on March 25.

Preliminary tests of milk, baby formula and other dairy products suggests they are safe to consume, according to the FDA.

Noise-canceling earbuds and headphones can be helpful when you need silence on demand — but could they be hazardous to your health?

The technology has grown in popularity among people who need to eliminate auditory distractions — background chatter, loud children or traffic noise. Yet some experts claim that blocking out the sounds of your surroundings can put you at risk.

“Technology often provides convenience at the cost of awareness,” Josh Gordon, head of innovation at the Singapore technology company Geonode, told Fox News Digital.

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“Noise-canceling earbuds may bring welcome silence, but they might also mask vital sounds that could save your life.”

Generally, good noise-canceling headphones can reduce noise by 20 to 40 decibels (dB), according to Gordon.

“There are positives and negatives to every technology,” Dr. Ruth Reisman, a clinical audiologist and hearing aid dispenser in New York State, told Fox News Digital.

“There can be some negative side effects to wearing noise-canceling headphones, including the reduction of awareness of [people’s] surroundings.”

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One of Reisman’s colleagues recently did a study on this topic, she said.

“It was found that in addition to the volume of the media, the exposure and time of usage can also impact the patients’ hearing,” she noted. 

This can potentially result in hearing damage and an “auditory processing challenge,” according to Reisman.

Generally, good noise-canceling headphones can reduce noise by 20 to 40 decibels, an expert noted. (iStock)

Joel Smith, a California-based audio expert and founder of the music hub AllAxess.com, agreed that noise-canceling headphones can impact hearing if they’re not used properly.

“Blasting the volume for too long can cause noise-induced hearing loss, ringing in the ears called tinnitus or even make it harder to process and distinguish sounds clearly over time,” he told Fox News Digital. 

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Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the inner ear hair cells that send sound signals to the brain, according to Smith.

“As those hair cells deteriorate from the loud noise, it makes it harder for your brain to properly interpret speech, background noise and other subtle sounds,” he said. 

“It’s like your auditory processing gets muffled or desensitized.”

Noise-canceling earbuds or headphones can be used safely, “as long as they are set at an appropriate volume and not used for extended periods of time,” an expert said. (iStock)

Another risk, according to Smith, is that earbuds that aren’t cleaned regularly can trap moisture and bacteria, increasing the risk of ear infections.

“Some studies also suggest that excessive headphone use might affect your balance and spatial awareness, since you’re not relying on natural sound cues as much,” Smith added.

Safe usage tips

Noise-canceling headphones have their benefits, experts agree.

They can be helpful for people who have hyperacusis (sensitivity to noise) or those who have autism, Reisman advised.

“This can often make a noisy or disorienting environment tolerable or accessible to individuals with these challenges,” the doctor said. 

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Noise-canceling earbuds or headphones can be used safely, Reisman said — “as long as they are set at an appropriate volume and not used for extended periods of time.”

Research shows that anything below 80 decibels is considered a safe volume, the doctor noted, with usage ideally limited to no more than two to three hours per day.

Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the inner ear hair cells that send sound signals to the brain, according to an expert. (iStock)

“The question is how to actually measure the amount of decibels at the level of the eardrum,” she said. 

“You can potentially go to an audiologist and have [the expert] do a real ear measure, or use a sound level meter at the level of the ear to assess the intensity.”

Some phones also offer some guidance on safe volume levels, Reisman added.

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“I don’t think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] completely, but you’ve got to use them responsibly,” Smith said.

He recommends following the 60/60 rule, which means keeping the volume at 60% or less and taking a break every 60 minutes to give your ears a rest.

“I don’t think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] completely, but you’ve got to use them responsibly,” an expert said. (iStock)

“Be extra cautious in loud environments, since you might crank it up way too high to overcome that background noise,” he advised.

Smith recommended taking regular breaks and keeping volumes moderate to prevent auditory fatigue and preserve healthy hearing into older age.

“Technology is a powerful tool,” Gordon added. 

“But like any tool, understanding its limitations and using it responsibly is key to staying safe.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Congo is struggling to contain its biggest mpox outbreak, and scientists say a new form of the disease detected in a mining town might more easily spread among people.

Since January, Congo has reported more than 4,500 suspected mpox cases and nearly 300 deaths, numbers that have roughly tripled from the same period last year, according to the World Health Organization. Congo recently declared the outbreak across the country a health emergency.

An analysis of patients hospitalized between October and January in Kamituga, eastern Congo, suggests recent genetic mutations in mpox are the result of its continued transmission in humans; it’s happening in a town where people have little contact with the wild animals thought to naturally carry the disease.

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“We’re in a new phase of mpox,” said Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, the lead researcher of the study, who said it will soon be submitted to a journal for publication. Mbala-Kingebeni heads a lab at Congo’s National Institute of Biomedical Research, which studies the genetics of diseases.

The lesions reported by most patients are milder and on the genitals, Mbala-Kingebeni said, making the disease trickier to diagnose. In previous outbreaks in Africa, lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet. He also said that the new form seems to have a lower death rate.

In a report on the global mpox situation this week, WHO said the new version of the disease might require a new testing strategy to pick up the mutations.

With experts pointing out that fewer than half of people in Congo with mpox are tested, Mbala-Kingebeni said: “The risk is that unless patients themselves come forward, we will have a silent transmission of the disease and nobody will know.”

Mbala-Kingebeni said most people were infected via sex, with about a third of mpox cases found in sex workers. It was not until the 2022 global emergency of mpox that scientists established the disease was spread via sex, with most cases in gay or bisexual men. In November, WHO confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time.

There are two kinds, or clades, of mpox, which is related to smallpox and endemic to central and west Africa. Clade 1 is more severe and can kill up to 10% of people infected. Clade 2 triggered the 2022 outbreak; more than 99% of people infected survived.

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Mbala-Kingebeni and colleagues said they have identified a new form of clade 1 that may be responsible for more than 240 cases and at least three deaths in Kamituga, a region with a significant transient population traveling elsewhere in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University who is not connected to the research, said the new mutations are concerning.

“This suggests the virus is adapting to spread efficiently in humans and could cause some pretty consequential outbreaks,” she said.

Although the mpox epidemics in the West were contained with the help of vaccines and treatments, barely any have been available in Congo. Congo’s minister of health has authorized the use of vaccines in high-risk provinces, said Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee. He said officials are in talks with donor countries like Japan to help buy the shots.

“Once a sufficient quantity of vaccines is available … vaccination will be implemented as part of the response,” Kacita Osako said.

Dr. Dimie Ogoina, an mpox expert at Niger Delta University, said the new research is an unsettling reminder of an earlier — but different — outbreak.

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“The notable spread among sex workers is reminiscent of the early stages of HIV,” he said, explaining that prejudices attached to treating sexually transmitted infections and the reluctance of people with mpox to come forward were worrying.

WHO’s emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, said last week that despite the ongoing spread of mpox in Africa and elsewhere, “there has not been a single donor dollar invested.”