Texas reports possibly U.S. 1st human case of bird flu linked to cattle

HOUSTON, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The south central U.S. state of Texas on Monday reported its first human case of bird flu, which also appears to be the first linked to cattle in the United States.

The human case is linked to direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with avian influenza A (H5N1), the Texas Department of State Health Services said on Monday.

So far there have been no reports of person-to-person transmission, and the department said the risk to the general public is low.

This is the second human case of H5N1 ever reported in the United States, but the first linked to cattle, according to a report from local media outlet ABC13.

Milk from dairy cows in the Texas Panhandle and Kansas tested positive for bird flu in March, said the report.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the commercial milk supply is safe.

"At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health," the department said in a statement in March.