Missouri sees first positive bird flu case without known animal contact

Also first time for someone with H5 virus to be hospitalized, and CDC says it is studying patient specimen more

A person in Missouri with no known animal contact has tested positive for H5 bird flu, the state's department of health and senior services said Friday.

It's the first time a patient in the US outbreak has had no known exposure to sick animals. And it is the first time someone has been hospitalized with bird flu - though it's not clear yet whether influenza was the reason for hospitalization or it was incidental.

This article was updated on 6 September 2024 to correct that the Missouri department of health and senior services, not the state's agriculture department, made the announcement about a person testing positive for H5 bird flu.