CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The CDC has confirmed the first H5N1 bird flu infection in a child in the United States… a child in California. The local health department is still trying to determine where the child contracted the illness, and UVA Health infectious disease specialist Dr. Patrick Jackson has been monitoring H5N1 developments. He says contract tracing will continue in everyone the child has been around, and the CDC needs to figure if this illness is just a “one-off” which would not be too concerning.

“On the other hand, if three people in their household also had the bird flu, now you’re looking at a totally different scenario. So that’s what you want to make sure you rule out”, Jackson said in a media conference call. The CDC says all household members reported having symptoms, but all tests have been negative for H5 bird flu. Click here to learn more about the California case and other H5N1 information.