Nearly 40 confirmed cases of human bird flu have been reported in a single state, making it the country's leader in this area.

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), a child in California is believed to have contracted H5N1 bird flu.

According to the CDPH, as of Dec. 23, there were 36 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the state.

This represents more than half of the human cases in the country.

The San Francisco resident who is the latest pediatric patient experienced fever and pink eye due to an infection.

According to the SFDPH, the patient who was not hospitalized has fully recovered.

The SFDPH Public Health Laboratory confirmed that the child tested positive for bird flu. The CDC will conduct further tests to verify the result.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how the child was exposed to the virus.

Dr. Grant Colfax, director of health, stated in a press release that the risk to the general public is low and there is no current evidence that the virus can be transmitted between people.

"We will continue to investigate this suspected case, and I urge all San Franciscans to avoid direct contact with sick or deceased birds, particularly wild birds and poultry. Additionally, please avoid unpasteurized dairy products."

Samuel Scarpino, a professor of health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston and director of AI and life sciences, is urging immediate action to safeguard individuals who may come into contact with contaminated livestock and to inform the public about the dangers posed by wild birds and infected backyard flocks.

He informed Planet Chronicle Digital that although the broader public's risk remains low, there are indications of an escalating risk related to the outbreak.

The possibility of mutations in the virus could allow for person-to-person transmission, as experts have cautioned.

Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, stated that while the H5N1 virus is believed to only transmit from animals to humans, several mutations that can facilitate human-to-human transmission have been identified in the severely ill American, as reported by Planet Chronicle Digital.

"The need for vigilance and preparation is emphasized by the possibility of additional mutations resulting in a human-transmissible pandemic strain."

According to the CDFA, as of Jan. 10, there have been a total of 707 infected cattle in California.

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In the past month, 84 dairy farms in the state have confirmed the presence of the virus.