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Last month, goats tested positive for avian influenza 

. With seasonal bird migration now upon us, should you be worried?

three small flocks confirmed with highly pathogenic avian flu

 so far this year in Minnesota, poultry farmers may rightfully worry about the safety of their flocks.

Crossover of avian flu to humans, however, is very rare according to both Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, and Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

, Osterholm said: “The virus doesn’t have the right lock and key to get into our cells as it does the bird cells, and so the virus has to change some to have that happen.” And, 

, Cohen noted: “We have never seen a case of human-to-human spread of avian flu here in the United States.”

The Texan who was diagnosed with bird flu was in direct contact with infected dairy cows, 

and their only reported symptom was eye redness

. Still, given the rare infection of goats and cows, 

public health experts are remaining vigilant

 over possible further spread of bird flu.

Public health officials are also remaining vigilant over possible further spread of measles — which 

 highly virulent among human, specifically among those who are unvaccinated. Through March 28, 

the CDC has reported 97 confirmed measles cases nationwide in 2024

, after reporting only 58 cases in all of 2023. 

Minnesota has seen three cases this year,

 with the latest one surfacing in late February.

Graph showing number of measles cases in the U.S. by year

COVID-19 and RSV continuing to recede, but flu not going away 

Influenza (the human variety), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are still sending Minnesotans to the hospital. The good news is that the rate of COVID-19 and RSV hospital admissions continues to trend downward.

Flu hospitalizations leveled off again in the week ending March 16. In that week, 238 Minnesotans ended up in the hospital with influenza, as did 45 with RSV and 123 with COVID-19.

Graph showing weekly hospitalization rates in Minnesota for COVID, flu and RSV

COVID-19 levels measured in the state’s wastewater continue to decline, 13 percent over the most recent week, according to the latest data from 

the University of Minnesota’s ongoing Wastewater Surveillance Study

. Data from that same study, however, does put the northwest region of the state on alert, since COVID levels there have been on the rise over both the past week and the past four weeks.

Graph showing percent change in COVID-19 levels measured in wastewater in Minnesota and regions within the state

For additional data on COVID-19 in Minnesota, including mortality and vaccination rates, see 

https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/mn-key-data

Craig Helmstetter

Author

There were no newly reported cases of measles in the state. And, despite goats testing positive for bird flu here last month, no human cases have been identified in Minnesota — and experts say that risk is low.

New Minnesota hospitalizations steady for flu, down for COVID and RSV

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