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A new study shows that bird flu has silently spread from animals to some veterinarians. The study published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention echoes two smaller ones that detected evidence of infection in previously undiagnosed farmworkers. In those studies, several of the infected workers remembered having symptoms of H5N1 bird flu, while none of the veterinarians in the new paper recalled any such symptoms. The new study is more evidence that the official U.S. tally of confirmed human bird flu infections 68 in the last year is likely a significant undercount, said Dr. Gregory Gray, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. This means that people are being infected, likely due to their occupational exposures, and not developing signs of illness and therefore not seeking medical care, Gray said. He said it shows that officials cannot fully understand bird flu transmission by only tracking people who go to medical clinics with symptoms. Study suggests bird flu cases are undercounted CDC researchers went to an American Association of Bovine Practitioners veterinary conference in September 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. They recruited 150 vets from 46 states to fill out a questionnaire and agree to have their blood drawn. None said they had suffered red eyes or other symptoms associated with bird flu. Testing found three of the vets, or 2%, had evidence of antibodies to H5N1 infection. All three worked with dairy cattle, as well as other animals. None said theyd worked with a herd that was known to be infected, although one had worked with a flock of infected poultry. Gray and some colleagues did a study last year of 14 dairy farmworkers and found two, or 14%, had evidence of past infections. Both had experienced symptoms but were never diagnosed. Another study published last year by the CDC checked 115 dairy workers. The researchers found that eight of them, or 7%, had evidence in their blood of recent infection. Half recalled feeling ill. The studies were far too small to use as a basis to provide a solid estimate of how many undiagnosed human infections are out there, Gray said. But even just a very small percentage could translate to hundreds or thousands of Americans who were infected while working with animals, he noted. That’s not necessarily a reason to be alarmed, said Jacqueline Nolting, an Ohio State University researcher who helped CDC with the latest study. Available studies suggest people who are infected mount antibody responses and may develop natural immunity, which is good news, she said. However, if the virus changes or mutates to start making people very sick, or to start spreading easily from person to person, that would be a completely different story, Nolting said. Experts urge caution around animals The H5N1 bird flu has been spreading widely among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals. Its escalating presence in the environment increases the chances people will be exposed, and potentially catch it, officials have said. Right now the risk to the general public is low, the CDC says. But officials continue to urge people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry. No ones really questioning that the virus has been moving around the country more than has been reported, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. He said he expected to see stepped-up information reminding veterinarians across the country to protect themselves with gloves, masks and other equipment to halt infection. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Associated Press writer JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report.
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E-Commerce
Igloo is recalling more than 1 million of its coolers sold across the U.S., Mexico and Canada due to a handle hazard that has resulted in a handful of fingertip injuries, including some amputations. The now-recalled Igloo 90 Qt. Flip & Tow Rolling Coolers have a tow handle can pinch users’ fingertips against the product posing potential amputation and other crushing risks, according to a Thursday recall notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Igloo has received 12 injury reports in the U.S., the CPSC notes, which include fingertip amputations, bone fractures, and lacerations. There are no known injuries in Canada or Mexico. Consumers in possession of the coolers are urged to stop using them immediately and contact Igloo for a free replacement handle. The now-recalled coolers were sold at major retailers like Costco, Target, Dicks and Amazon between 2019 and January 2025 for between $80 and $140. About 1.06 million were purchased in the U.S., in addition to 47,000 in Canada and another 23,000 in Mexico. The affected products can be identified by model number and description. They were sold in multiple colors with the word IGLOO printed on the side and manufactured in the U.S. prior to January 2024. Consumers can register for the recall online or contact Katy, Texas-based Igloo at 888-943-5182 or igloo90qt@sedgwick.com to request a handle replacement. In a statement, Igloo said that it was recalling these rolling coolers and providing free replacement handles with consumer safety as our top priority. The company added that, “through rigorous testing and proactive steps, we are constantly improving our products to meet the highest safety standards.” Additional information can be found on the websites for the CPSC, Health Canada and the OECD’s global recall portal.
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E-Commerce
If you follow any Gen Zers on social media, you may know they seem to abide by one piece of sage wisdom: Go big or go home. That much is certainly true when it comes to their wild prom-posals and sometimes scary-extravagant gender-reveal parties. And apparently, it also holds true for their Valentine’s Day celebrations. According to a new survey from CouponFollow, on average, Americans in relationships plan to spend around $155 on the day of love this year. But Gen Z? Gen Z wouldn’t be satisfied unless they were going above and beyond. The generation that seems to enjoy flashy celebrations will spend far more on cards, chocolates, and stuffed animals, budgeting $235 to make their special someone feel even more special. (We’re gonna go out on a limb here and guess that some of their epic Valentine’s Day antics will probably make it to TikTok, too.) When it comes to the older generations, they’re seriously skimping on love’s biggest day, at least comparatively speaking. Millennials will shell out a solid $176, and Gen Xers will spend a respectable $95. But baby boomers? They’ll only cough up about $53 for L-O-V-E love. There’s not just a generational gap when it comes to Valentine’s Day spending, but also a gender gap. According to the report, men are about twice as likely as women to feel financial pressure around the holiday. And that adds up, considering women expect their partners to spend 25% more on them. Still, it’s not all about big spending. Sentimentality always goes a long way. The survey revealed that most people (38%) want a gift that speaks to their heart, such as something handmade or personal. That’s good news, because one budget-friendly trend is taking off this year on TikTok: User Fabiola Reyes demonstrated how she made an adorable gift basket for under $20 in a post that has 5.8 million views at present, and dozens of others have posted similar how-to’s since then. Clearly, gifts that come from the heart matter the most on Valentine’s Day. But still, if you want to avoid a spat, you’d better not show up on February 14 empty-handed: The biggest red flags on the holiday, according to the survey, were giving your partner a re-gifted present or nothing at all. So, while you don’t have to go all in (like Gen Z), if you don’t want to be single by February 15, maybe don’t forget to throw a few dollars at romance!
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E-Commerce
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