New Jersey reports H5 avian flu cluster in cats – University of Minnesota Twin Cities
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDH) today announced that H5 avian flu has been confirmed in a feral cat from Hunterdon County that had severe disease, including neurologic symptoms, and was humanely euthanized. The detection was confirmed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).Other cats at the same property were sick, and a second H5 infection was found in an indoor-outdoor cat. Tests are pending on results from other cats, and an investigation is ongoing. Officials said the cats had no known exposure to infected poultry, livestock, raw milk, or raw meat, but roamed freely outdoors, where they may have had exposure to wild birds or other animals.The NJDH and its local partners are monitoring people who were exposed to the cats, and all are currently without symptoms.New Jersey Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, MD, said, “While the risk of H5 infection to the general population remains low at this time, it is important for people to learn more about the situation and take steps to avoid potential infection through exposure to animals, including feral cats.”Earlier this month, health officials in California’s San Mateo County reported H5N1 in a stray cat that was taken in by a family.In other H5N1 developments, APHIS over the past 2 days reported several more detections in poultry. They include multiple events at commercial duck and turkey farms in Indiana, as well as on a layer farm in Ohio and a commercial farm in Florida. More outbreaks involving backyard flocks were reported in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Indiana, and Florida. Flu activity in the United States has declined for the second week and a row, suggesting levels have peaked, though hospitalizations and other markers remain high and deaths in kids are nearing 100, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest weekly update.Test positivity at clinical labs is trending downward but is still high, at 24.5%. Outpatient visits for flulike illness also declined but, at 5.8%, are still well above the national baseline for the 13th straight week. States still in the very high range include Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.The cumulative hospitalization rate is at its highest level since the 2010-11 flu season.The CDC estimates that 21,000 people have died from flu this season, and the pace of flu deaths in the latest reporting week outpaced those for COVID-19.Twelve more pediatric flu deaths were reported, putting the season’s total at 98. All were linked to influenza A. Of 11 subtyped strains, 8 were the 2009 H1N1 virus, 2 were H3N2, and 1 involved a coinfection with both strains.For COVID, emergency department (ED) visits are low with a continuing decline, and test positivity remains stable, at 4.3%, the CDC said. Wastewater levels are at the moderate range, and though detections are declining for all regions, they are highest in the Midwest, followed by the South.In its latest variant tracking update, the CDC said that, over the past 2 weeks the LP.8.1 Omicron subvariant, at 42% of detections, has now edged above the XEC subvariant, which now makes up 31% of detections. LP.8.1 is a descendant of KP.1.1.3, which is part of the JN.1 lineage.New Mexico reported more cases in an adjacent county, with a few new confirmations from Texas in the community around Dallam and Hartley counties.The county is in southwestern Indiana, on the border with Illinois and Kentucky, both of which are CWD-positive.The mutation doesn’t appear to reduce viral fitness, as evidenced by its rapid spread, the authors say.In the first of the 2 outbreaks, affected children had contact with bats. Further investigations are under way for both events.The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet March 13 to select virus strains for the 2025-26 flu vaccine.The study involved 68 US children who died from seasonal flu this season.The CDC says it does not anticipate posting any more updates on US respiratory disease activity this season.Pfizer’s initial clinical trials on the drug were conducted on unvaccinated adults.Only 11% of survivors resumed full-time work by 6 months, while 12% went back to part-time work.The CDC notes that the poultry worker from Ohio had been hospitalized with respiratory and nonrespiratory symptoms.Help make CIDRAP’s vital work possibleCIDRAP – Center for Infectious Disease Research & PolicyResearch and Innovation Office, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MNEmail us© 2025 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights Reserved.The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employerResearch and Innovation Office | Contact U of M | Privacy PolicyNewsletter subscribe
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/new-jersey-reports-h5-avian-flu-cluster-cats
