CNN
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Three individuals serving to cull poultry at a farm in northeast Colorado have been recognized as presumed constructive circumstances of avian influenza, in line with the state well being division and the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the most recent circumstances in a multistate outbreak affecting birds and dairy cattle.
The employees are believed to have caught the virus by means of direct work with contaminated birds at a business egg operation. That they had gentle signs together with conjunctivitis or pink eye and respiratory issues, however none of them had been hospitalized, the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Atmosphere mentioned in a statement Friday.
On the state’s request, the CDC is sending a group to assist the outbreak investigation.
“State public well being officers have collected extra samples from symptomatic employees, which will likely be examined this weekend,” the Colorado company mentioned. The CDC additionally said it’s going to conduct confirmatory testing on specimens.
The CDC mentioned its threat evaluation for most people stays low. “There aren’t any indicators of surprising will increase in flu exercise in any other case in Colorado or in different states affected by H5 chook flu outbreaks in cows and poultry,” it mentioned.
Four people within the US had beforehand examined constructive for chook flu in reference to the continuing outbreak: one in Colorado, one in Texas and two in Michigan. Colorado’s agriculture business has been hit laborious by chook flu, with Gov. Jared Polis declaring a catastrophe emergency July 5 to make sure that the state can supply assist and sources for farms in Weld County.
Poultry merchandise are nonetheless fit for human consumption if they’ve been correctly dealt with and cooked, the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Atmosphere says. The CDC advises that everybody keep away from shut or lengthy publicity to sick or useless animals, animal poop or bedding. Specialists additionally suggest towards consuming unpasteurized or uncooked milk because of the potential for contamination.