Earlier this month, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency not for the wildfires common to the Centennial State this time of year, but for a bird flu outbreak at a commercial poultry facility in Weld County, north of Denver. Now, several workers at the egg farm who had been culling poultry in response to the spread of avian influenza have tested positive for the disease.
Five people have been infected, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. As of Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had confirmed four of those cases. None of the workers was hospitalized, Colorado officials said, noting their mild symptoms included conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and symptoms consistent with respiratory infection.
