The presence of bird flu in cats is concerning due to pet cats’ proximity to people. There is a chance that cats could spread bird flu to people who are in close contact with them.

Bird flu is also dangerous for cats and can be deadly. About 67% of all cats who have had bird flu have died.

People with cats should limit their cat's unsupervised outdoor time, avoid feeding cats raw dairy products or food with uncooked meat, and take their cat to the vet if symptoms like trouble breathing appear.

Health officials are still trying to determine how the indoor-only cats got the virus and if the cats can infect humans.

To address the likely rise in rising COVID-19 cases during the fall and winter, the US government will again make free COVID-19 tests available to households in the US. In late September, each household will be given 4 free tests after ordering them on COVIDtests.gov.

COVID-19 tests are effective for longer than initially thought, so expiration dates for many brands have been extended by the FDA. Visit the FDA’s website for updated expiration dates. You will need the test kit to look up the brand, lot number, and original expiration date to see if it has an updated expiration date.

Tests are important in detecting a COVID-19 infection early, so an individual can take isolation measures and avoid spreading the infection to others.

At-home tests can be used if you have COVID-19 symptoms, have come into contact with someone who has a confirmed case, or will come into contact with someone who falls in a high-risk group such as the elderly or immunocompromised. More information on when to use a take-home COVID-19 test can be found on the FDA website linked here.

An exact date for when tests can be ordered has not yet been released, but the tests are expected to be available in late September. In the meantime, you can find a testing location at TestingLocator.CDC.gov. If you are insured, you may also be eligible for free at-home covid tests per month. See your insurance provider's website for details.

The week of August 24th, a person with significant underlying health conditions was hospitalized for chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. The person was not in the intensive care unit. The patient tested positive for flu, and further testing found that it was a H5 bird flu strain. The patient has since fully recovered.

A person who lives with the patient got sick with similar symptoms on the same day as the case. This close contact was not tested and fully recovered. The timing of both people getting sick does not suggest transmission between them, but could suggest a shared source of exposure. It is also possible that the close contact was sick with something different than bird flu.

There is no known source of direct or indirect exposure for this patient. That includes contact with wild birds, domestic poultry, cattle (including raw milk and raw meat), or other wildlife prior to symptoms. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission at this time, and the CDC reports that the risk to the public remains low.

The Missouri Department of Health in partnership with CDC is still investigating potential sources of exposure for this case.

Information on if the close contact will be given an antibody test for bird-flu has not yet been released.

When the patient who tested positive for bird flu was tested, they had a low viral load which made it difficult to fully sequence the virus’s genome. Partial results show that the strain is similar to those found in cattle. Additional tests are being run.

The main symptoms of Mpox include a spotted rash that may be painful or itchy with flu-like symptoms. The virus spreads through close contact between two people and can be spread up to four days before symptoms appear. Most people recover fully from infection with clade II of Mpox, which has a survival rate of 99.9%. Those most at risk of severe illness include those with severely weakened immune systems, children younger than 1, pregnant people and people with a history of eczema.

The clade Ib of Mpox that caused the current public health emergency has higher rates of severe illness and death than clade II. Global health authorities are working to get the JYNNEOS Mpox vaccine to people in countries with the highest cases of clade Ib Mpox like the Democratic Republic of Congo. Countries that currently need the vaccine most are having challenges getting it.

In the United States, only Mpox clade II is present. While Mpox can infect anybody, people most at risk of getting Mpox are those with multiple sexual partners. The two-shot JYNNEOS vaccine is approved and available in the U.S. CDC recommends people with multiple sexual partners consider vaccination, and a complete list of guidelines can be found on the CDC’s website.

Vaccination distribution efforts are still underway, and it is still not clear when countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo will be able to administer JYNNEOS vaccines.

Mosquitoes are most active during the summer, making July to early September the peak season for West Nile virus (WNV) transmission in North America.

About 1 in 5 people infected with West Nile will develop symptoms. These symptoms are flu-like and can include body aches, joint pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. Of those who are infected, 1 in 150 will develop a severe form of the illness that can affect the central nervous system, causing issues like neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and even death.  

Groups at higher risk of having complications from West Nile virus include people with cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, organ transplant recipients, and those over the age of 60.

Mosquitoes are infected with the virus by feeding on blood of infected birds. Mosquitoes can then spread the virus to humans and other mammals. An infected person does not have a high enough level of virus in their blood to later transmit it to another human.

The best way to prevent West Nile Virus is to avoid mosquito bites. Steps like using bug sprays with DEET, spraying clothing with permethrin, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants can help keep mosquitoes from biting.

The mosquito that carries West Nile is most active at dusk and dawn, and mosquitoes lay eggs in standing bodies of water. Therefore, draining standing water in your yard and avoiding being outside during the early morning and evening hours can reduce your exposure to these insects.

If you have symptoms of West Nile and you have been bitten by mosquitoes in an area where West Nile virus has been detected, contact your healthcare provider. There is no specific treatment for the West Nile virus, and supportive care includes getting plenty of rest and fluids while monitoring for signs of severe illness. Over the counter medications can help ease symptoms. Most people who have had West Nile once are immune to getting it again.

West Nile virus is not typically spread person-to-person, but there have been rare cases of transmission through organ transplants. The risk of getting West Nile from an organ is uncertain, and not all donors are tested for it.