H5N1 Bird Flu Prompts Emergency in Colorado, Hits Michigan Dairy Herd and Cats

Jul 10, 2024, 01:59 PM

H5N1 bird flu has struck a dairy herd in Michigan and a large poultry farm in Colorado, prompting Colorado Governor Jared Polis to declare a state of emergency. The outbreak at the Colorado farm, which houses more than 1.7 million birds, led to the culling of 1.8 million chickens. In Michigan, the outbreak in Gratiot County marks the 26th H5N1 outbreak in dairy herds. Nationally, the USDA has reported five new herds affected by H5N1, including three in Colorado, one in Michigan, and one in Texas, bringing the national total to 147 outbreaks. The detections were confirmed by PCR test, and a holiday backlog of bird flu testing has been resolved. Additional detections have been reported in cats in Minnesota and Michigan.