Farmworker Is Third Person In U.S. Infected With Bird Flu Amid Outbreak

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third person in the United States was diagnosed with bird flu. The agency said that a farmworker in Michigan contracted the virus after being in contact with infected cows amid the multistate outbreak of the avian flu.

The worker is the second person in Michigan to be diagnosed with avian flu this week. In March, a farmworker in Texas was also diagnosed with bird flu.

While the first two workers only experienced pink eye, the latest worker dealt with upper respiratory symptoms, including sore throat, congestion, and a nagging cough.

However, none of the three reported cases appear to be connected.

Dr. Nirav Shah, the CDC's principal deputy director, said there is no evidence that the virus is spreading from human to human, though he is concerned that the latest patient developed respiratory symptoms.

"Simply put, someone who's coughing may be more likely to transmit the virus than someone who has an eye infection like conjunctivitis," he said.