Pa. extends human influenza testing into summer amid bird flu outbreak

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Pennsylvania health officials are directing hospitals, health offices and medical providers to test sick patients for influenza throughout the summer beyond the typical winter season.

Although flu activity in the Northeast dramatically drops in the warmer months, Pennsylvania Department of Health officials say they’re on the lookout for possible human infections related to an ongoing avian influenza outbreak in wild birds, poultry, and, more recently, dairy cattle.

Four dairy farm workers in Michigan, Texas and Colorado who were exposed to infected cows have been diagnosed with the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

While there have been no reports of bird flu in dairy cows or humans in Pennsylvania so far, public health officials are ramping up surveillance efforts and asking medical providers to test for the virus in people with respiratory illness this summer.

Testing is especially recommended for patients who become severely sick, have been exposed to dairy cows, raw milk, wild birds and poultry, or have attended agricultural fairs, according to a statewide health advisory.

An avian influenza outbreak has been ongoing in the U.S. since 2022, affecting more than 99 million wild, commercial and backyard birds nationwide, including millions in Pennsylvania.

The virus is often fatal for birds. Many commercial flocks are euthanized for public safety and to protect other nearby flocks from further spread.

Bird flu was reported in other U.S. livestock animals like dairy cattle for the first time this past spring. While the virus does not seem to be as harmful to cows, food safety and public health experts are monitoring milk products.

Federal officials said the risk of infection or health effects from bird flu remains low for people and maintain that the commercial milk supply is safe.

In an effort to prevent Pennsylvania cattle herds from becoming infected, the state Department of Agriculture earlier this year ordered that cows coming into Pennsylvania from other states with outbreaks be tested first.