OHA, ODA Continue To Monitor First Human Bird Flu Case

State officials say they are not changing their approach to bird flu, despite the recent report of Oregon’s first human case of the virus.  Monitoring continues at a Clackamas County poultry farm, after a worker tested positive for H5N1.  The Oregon Health Authority's Dr. Melissa Sutton said the public risk is low.

“There’s been no evidence of human-to-human transmission in the United States. And, this is something that public health at all levels is monitoring closely.” 

Personal Protective Equipment was distributed at the Clackamas County operation … and Dr. Sutton says the OHA and the ODA are working together.

“To reinforce the importance of that PPE use," she noted.  "Oregon Department of Agriculture has staff on the ground most days at that outbreak site, and we can report that PPE use there has been excellent.”

Sutton said the worker who contracted the virus is recovering from mild symptoms after being prescribed the same drug used to treat the traditional flu.

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