Human bird flu spreads in Colorado's farms

Jul 24, 2024

Rising human cases of bird flu in Colorado's farms

By Farms.com

The bird flu outbreak in Colorado has escalated with the confirmation of additional human cases by U.S. health authorities.

The outbreak originated at a poultry farm in Weld County, where workers faced exposure during efforts to contain the virus, leading to several human infections.

These latest developments increase the total human cases linked to this outbreak to six, with a seventh case under investigation. These individuals, involved in culling operations of 1.8 million birds, reported mild symptoms and have been treated with antivirals.

The spread has been exacerbated by extreme working conditions, including high temperatures that made protective gear less effective, according to health officials. This has raised concerns about farm safety practices and the potential for wider transmission among farm workers.

The state has intensified its response, increasing testing and monitoring, especially given the concentration of its dairy production in the affected area.

Although the risk to the public remains minimal, the situation underscores the challenges of managing such outbreaks in commercial agricultural settings.

Video: 2026 T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science - Dan Weary

T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science: "Using science to assess and improve the welfare of dairy cattle"

Dan Weary is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dan did his BSc and MSc at McGill and Doctorate at Oxford before co-founding UBC’s Animal Welfare Program where he now co-directs this active research group. His research focuses on understanding the perspectives of animals and applying these insights to develop methods of assessing animal welfare and improving the lives of animals. His work has helped drive changes in practices (including the adoption of higher milk rations for calves and pain management for disbudding) and housing methods (including the adoption of social housing for pre-weaned calves). He also studies cow comfort and lameness, social interactions among cows, and interactions between cows, human handlers and technologies like automated millking systems that are increasingly used on farms. His presentation will outline key questions in cattle welfare, highlight recent UBC research addressing them, and showcase innovative methods for improving the lives of cattle and their caretakers.