WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that three poultry farm workers in Northeast Colorado/Weld County have been infected by highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5 bird flu.
CDC said the three confirmed cases occurred in people who were working directly with infected poultry at a commercial egg layer operation that had reported an outbreak of H5 bird flu among poultry.
The infected people have mild illness and have been offered the antiviral drug, oseltamivir, for treatment.
Meanwhile, state and local officials continue to monitor poultry workers on farms with infected poultry.
The agency confirmed two additional human cases of bird flu at a different farm in Colorado on July 19.
With this, the total number of human cases linked to the current poultry outbreaks in Colorado has risen to nine, and the total number of cases reported in the United States since April to 13.
CDC's current assessment is that the risk to the public from H5N1 remains low.
Human infections with this novel influenza A virus (and others) are concerning because of the potential to cause severe, widespread disease, according to the federal health agency.
CDC recommended that people should avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals, including cows.
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