Bird flu infections spread among workers at Colorado poultry farm

Five poultry workers at a farm in northeast Colorado have been infected by the H5N1 virus, according to Colorado’s department of public health.

The workers were culling birds at a commercial poultry farm that had been affected by the virus. Their symptoms were mild, and included common “flu-like” respiratory symptoms — such as fever, chills, coughing, sore throat and runny nose — and conjunctivitis, or pink eye. None of the workers were hospitalized.

The virus also has been identified in the state’s dairy cattle and wild birds.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed four of the five cases.

Colorado’s health department said the fifth case was presumptive, and pending confirmation.

The CDC said its risk assessment for the general public remains low, and its recommendations have not changed.

“An assessment of these cases will help inform whether this situation warrants a change to the human health risk assessment,” said the agency in a statement released Monday.

These are the first cases of H5 virus infection in poultry workers since 2022. The first ever U.S. case of H5N1 in a poultry worker was reported in Colorado in April 2022.

There have also been four cases of H5 in dairy workers. One of those cases was located in Colorado.

The CDC has sent a bilingual field team into the area to support the state’s investigation. The team of nine people includes epidemiologists, veterinarians, clinicians and an industrial hygienist.

Public health officials say it is safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry products.