Nevada confirms state's first human case of bird flu in a dairy worker

Chicago: Nevada has confirmed its first human case of bird flu in a farm worker who was exposed to infected dairy cattle, the Central Nevada Health District said on Monday, after authorities last week reported a second strain of the virus in cows in the state.

The case broadens the U.S. outbreak of the virus that has infected nearly 70 people, mostly farm workers, since April. The H5N1 virus has reduced milk output in cattle and pushed up egg prices by wiping out millions of laying hens.

The Nevada worker is recovering after suffering from conjunctivitis, or pink eye, the Central Nevada Health District said in a statement. It added that there is no evidence the virus is spreading from person to person and said the CDC considers bird flu to be a low risk to the public.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported for the first time last week that a second strain of bird flu was found in dairy cattle in Nevada, a discovery that ramped up concerns about the U.S. outbreak. The second strain, known as D1.1, was the predominant genotype among wild birds this past fall and winter and has also been found in poultry, the agency said.

One person in Louisiana died who had been hospitalized with the D1.1 genotype.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Chris Reese and Nick Zieminski)