At least four poultry workers in Colorado have contracted bird flu and are experiencing mild symptoms, according to the state’s health department.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed four cases, with a fifth worker presumed to be positive for the flu.
The workers were involved in culling poultry at a farm in northeast Colorado and showed mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) and common respiratory infection symptoms. State health officials believe these cases resulted from direct contact with infected poultry.
None of the five workers required hospitalization, and their cases are currently under investigation by the CDC.
Despite the outbreaks, Colorado health officials assured the public that it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry. Proper handling and cooking of poultry, meat, and eggs kill bacteria and viruses, including avian flu viruses.
This latest development brings the total number of bird flu infections in the US to nine since 2022, with eight of those occurring this year.
The virus, which has been affecting mammals and birds since 2020, has been spreading across the US, impacting poultry and cattle farms.
The CDC stated that the current risk to the general public remains low. There are no signs of unexpected increases in flu activity in Colorado or other states affected by H5 bird flu outbreaks in cows and poultry. However, the human cases are considered concerning due to their pandemic potential. If these viruses were to change in a way that allows easy human-to-human transmission, it could trigger a pandemic. To date, no genetic changes in the virus have been observed that would make such transmission more likely.
Earlier this month, Moderna announced it had received $176 million from the U.S. government to begin trials for an mRNA H5N1 bird flu vaccine.