Health officials say a farm worker in Colorado is the fourth person in the United States to be infected with bird flu.
In a statement Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) health officials said a male employee developed avian influenza after coming into direct contact with infected dairy cows on a farm in northeastern Colorado.
The man experienced mild symptoms and reported to health authorities that he had conjunctivitis.
The man received antiviral treatment and has since recovered, according to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cows graze on oil production sites. Dairy workers in Colorado infected with avian flu. (Reuters/Nick Oxford/File Photo)
Dr. Rachel Herlihy, an epidemiologist with the California Department of Public Health, said the risk from bird flu remains low for the general public but could be increased for people who regularly come into contact with infected animals.
“The risk to most people remains low. Avian influenza viruses currently circulate among animals but have not adapted to human-to-human transmission,” Herlihy said.
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“The most important thing to know right now is that people who regularly come into contact with infected animals are at increased risk of infection and need to take precautions when in contact with sick animals,” she said.
Dr Rachel Herlihy said the risk to the public of catching bird flu was low. (REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File Photo)
Since March, three cow-related human cases have been reported among dairy workers in Texas and Michigan.
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Two of the workers also developed conjunctivitis and one had mild respiratory symptoms.
In 2022, the first case of avian influenza in the United States was detected in a Colorado farm worker who had come into contact with infected poultry.
