Five Colorado Farm Workers Test Positive for H5N1 Bird Flu Amid Heatwave, CDC Sends Field Team

Jul 16, 2024, 03:15 PM

Five workers on a Colorado farm have tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, with a fifth presumptive positive case still pending. Health officials have confirmed that four poultry workers in Colorado were diagnosed with bird flu, and there is rising concern about containing the virus outbreak. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has deployed a nine-member field team to Colorado to assist with the response. The outbreak occurred during a heatwave, with temperatures reaching 104°F, making it difficult for workers to wear protective gear. Industrial fans used to cool down the barns may have contributed to spreading the virus through windblown feathers. State health officials are closely monitoring and testing workers, with 69 symptomatic workers tested so far, and 5 confirmed positive. Antiviral medication has been given to 150 workers. Experts are calling for urgent action and better protective measures to prevent the disease from becoming a pandemic. The virus has also been detected in dairy cows, affecting 13 states.