Bird flu confirmed in 4 Colorado poultry workers, health officials say

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  • 4 poultry employees in Colorado have been identified with chicken flu, well being officers confirmed Sunday.
  • These new circumstances deliver the U.S. complete to 9 since first human case of the present outbreak was detected in 2022. All diseases had been comparatively gentle, with frequent respiratory an infection signs.
  • Well being officers say the risk to the general public is low. The virus has not unfold between folks, however scientists are monitoring it intently.

4 poultry employees in Colorado have been identified with chicken flu, well being officers confirmed Sunday.

The brand new circumstances deliver the U.S. complete to 9 for the reason that first human case of the present outbreak was detected in 2022, additionally in a Colorado poultry employee. Eight of the 9 had been reported this 12 months.

Their diseases had been comparatively gentle — reddened and irritated eyes and customary respiratory an infection signs like fever, chills, coughing, sore throat and runny nostril. None had been hospitalized, officers mentioned. The other U.S. cases have additionally been gentle.

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A fifth particular person with signs is present process testing, however these outcomes aren’t again but, officers mentioned. The employees had been culling poultry at a farm in northeast Colorado, in response to state well being officers. All had direct contact with contaminated birds.

A chicken flu virus has been spreading since 2020 amongst mammals — together with canine, cats, skunks, bears and even seals and porpoises — in scores of nations. Earlier this 12 months the virus, often known as H5N1, was detected in U.S. livestock, and is now circulating in cattle in a number of states.

Chickens stand in their cages at a farm next to eggs traveling down a conveyer belt.

Chickens stand of their cages at a farm in Iowa, on Nov. 16, 2009. 4 extra folks, all Colorado poultry employees, have been identified with chicken flu infections, well being officers mentioned late on June 14, 2024. (AP Photograph/Charlie Neibergall, File)

Well being officers proceed to characterize the risk to the general public as low and the virus has not unfold between folks. However officers are maintaining cautious watch, as a result of earlier variations of the identical virus have been lethal to folks.

The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has despatched a nine-person staff to Colorado to assist in the investigation, on the state’s request, CDC officers mentioned.

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These circumstances earlier this 12 months had been amongst dairy farm employees in Michigan, Texas and Colorado.

The virus detected within the 4 newest circumstances is least partly equivalent to the kind discovered within the earlier U.S. circumstances, however additional genetic evaluation is underway to verify it is precisely the identical, officers mentioned.

As of Friday, the H5N1 virus has been confirmed in 152 dairy herds in 12 states, in response to the U.S. Agriculture Division. A whole lot of economic poultry flocks in additional than 30 states have reported H5N1 or different sorts of chicken flu.

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