California leads country in human bird flu with nearly 40 confirmed cases | 12 Jan 2025 | A child in California is presumed to have H5N1 bird flu, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH). As of Dec. 23, there had been 36 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the state, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). This represents more than half of the human cases in the country.The latest pediatric patient, who lives in San Francisco, experienced fever and conjunctivitis as a result of the infection. The unnamed patient was not hospitalized and has fully recovered, according to the SFDPH. [Do not comply.]