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California health officials have confirmed that two people in the state have contracted mild cases of H5N1 bird flu.

What’s the deal: Two dairy workers in California’s Central Valley contracted mild cases of H5N1 bird flu, marking the state’s first human infections of the virus. The cases were found at separate locations, and there is no known connection between the two individuals. Health officials believe the workers were exposed to the virus at their workplaces. Both workers experienced mild symptoms and were not hospitalized.

Other cases: This comes as there have been 16 confirmed human cases of bird flu since 2023 across the United States. All these cases have been linked to both chicken and cow farms.

CA Official comments: Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health and state public health officer said, “Ongoing health checks of individuals who interact with potentially infected animals helped us quickly detect and respond to this possible human case. Fortunately, as we’ve seen in other states with human infections, the individual has experienced mild symptoms. We want to emphasize that the risk to the general public is low, and people who interact with potentially infected animals should take prevention measures.”

More on H5N1 bird flu: Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection that primarily affects birds but can sometimes infect humans, particularly those in close contact with infected animals. The H5N1 strain is one of the most concerning forms of bird flu, known for its ability to spread among poultry and, in rare cases, infect humans. Symptoms of bird flu in humans can vary but typically include fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches. In some cases, it can cause more severe respiratory issues.