Human bird flu cases on the rise

Until very recently, the number of humans affected by the bird flu outlook was extremely low.

Now, however, a number of people in Colorado have reported infection from exposure to poultry and dairy cows.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported four human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, with a fifth case awaiting confirmation.

All cases were associated with the depopulation of infected poultry during an outbreak.

A CDC team was on the ground in Colorado to support assessment of the outbreak.

All infected individuals reported mild illness, including conjunctivitis and eye tearing and flu symptoms.

These cases join the four identified infections from dairy cows, two in Michigan, one in Texas and, most recently, in Colorado.

Again, symptoms were mild. The most recently infected person in Colorado, for example, reported only eye symptoms.

While the CDC believes the risk to the public remains low, the agency warns that the cases underscore the risk of exposure to infected animals and the importance of practicing prevention methods.

Until April, there had only been one human case in the United States. The tally now stands at nine.

With bird flu active in cattle and backyard poultry, the CDC has issued advice to prevent the spread during agricultural fairs.

If you are sick with a flu-like illness, the CDC recommends staying home. Plan to keep livestock at the fair for shorter periods of time to interrupt any spread – 72 hours or less is ideal.

Don’t take toys, pacifiers, bottles, strollers or other items for young children into animal areas or eat, drink or touch anything. Wash your hands often after touching animals and equipment and, where possible, avoid direct contact with animals that look or act ill.

Personal protective equipment is recommended if coming into contact with animals that may be ill.

At this time, according to CDC data, bird flu has been detected in 9552 wild birds and over 100 million poultry have been affected, as well as 163 dairy herds.