United States: In recent reports, bird flu has possibly infected four of the agricultural workers living in Washington state, as reported by the Washington State Department of Health.
More about the news
According to the state health department, “workers tested presumptively positive for avian influenza after working with infected poultry at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County,” the Hill reported.
Franklin County lies in the eastern half of the Evergreen State, popular for its agriculture.
Moreover, the health department reported possible infections, such as “mild symptoms and having been provided with antiviral medication.”
Moreover, these infections “are the first presumed human cases of H5 virus under investigation in Washington state.”
Testing by the health department
As per the department, “Testing of additional individuals on the farm is currently pending, and the number of cases under investigation may change,” the Hill reported.
Moreover, it also said that “[t]he cases took place at a farm that was the site of an avian influenza outbreak in chickens.”
What is the CDC stating?
The spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentioned that they are waiting on “specimens for avian flu testing from Washington state, and a team is being deployed to support the state’s assessment of the health of workers involved in a depopulation event at a poultry facility there.”
Furthermore, there have been “27 H5 human cases reported in the US” this year, as the CDC noted.
Experts suggest that Bird flu is generally spread among birds and other animals too. But this doesn’t exempt humans from getting infected if they come in contact with an infected animal via body fluids, etc.
The agency also mentioned that “While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures,” the Hill reported.