Post Reply - H5N1/flu (other types)

By

Carolyn Barber, MD
@cbarbermd
·
6h
BREAKING: FIVE FARMWORKERS reported positive for bird flu at a Colorado farm. Gov
@jaredpolis has declared a disaster emergency & experts warn of "turning point', call for urgent action... #pandemic #BirdFlu #influenza
https://shorturl.at/wguQ3

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/07/cdc-statement-on-4-confirmed-hpai-h5.html or https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/07/cdc-statement-on-4-confirmed-hpai-h5.html ;

The CDC has posted the following statement - which confirms much of what we learned earlier today from the State of Colorado - on the (now 4) confirmed human H5 infections among poultry workers from Weld County. 
A fifth presumed positive case will likely be confirmed later today. 
There are still no details provided on whether the workers wore PPEs, or have received antivirals, both of which should be standard procedure. 
CDC Confirms Human Cases of H5 Bird Flu Among Colorado Poultry Workers

Press Release
For Immediate Release: July 14, 2024
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

July 14, 2024 – Four human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) (“H5 bird flu”) virus infection in the state of Colorado have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This includes all three presumptive-positive cases reported by that state on Friday, July 12 and a fourth specimen that was later found to be presumptive-positive by the state on Friday. CDC also is aware of an additional (fifth) presumptive-positive case in Colorado that will be confirmed at CDC once the specimen arrives. All cases were in farm workers who were involved in the depopulation of poultry at a poultry facility experiencing an outbreak of HPAI H5N1 virus. 
A CDC team is on the ground in Colorado, supporting their assessment of the poultry outbreak and associated human cases. Given current information, CDC believes that the risk to the public from this outbreak remains low. These cases again underscore the risk of exposure to infected animals. There are no unexpected increases in flu activity otherwise in Colorado, or in other states affected by H5 bird flu outbreaks in cows and poultry.

DJ, In fact the CDC is still downplaying the risks of H5N1 for humans...

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/the-pandemic-discussion-forum/987828-discussion-thread-h5n1-avian-flu-in-us-dairy-cows-march-24-4-human-cases-probably-3-more?view=stream or https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/the-pandemic-discussion-forum/987828-discussion-thread-h5n1-avian-flu-in-us-dairy-cows-march-24-4-human-cases-probably-3-more?view=stream latest;

Treyfish replied
Today, 10:36 AM

Bird flu snapshot: As the number of infected dairy herds mount, so too does pessimism about driving H5N1 out of cowsBy Helen Branswell July 15, 2024
There are more human cases of H5N1 bird flu infection, and another state has joined the list of those with infected dairy cow herds.

Colorado announced Sunday night that five workers involved in the culling of chickens at an H5N1-infected poultry operation had tested positive for the virus. Four of the cases have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the fifth is currently deemed “presumptive” positive because the individual’s test sample hasn’t yet reached the CDC. All five had mild symptoms — conjunctivitis and minor respiratory complaints. None required hospitalization.

Additional testing by the CDC is needed to fully characterize the viruses responsible for these infections. But assuming they are the same as the one circulating in cows (which has occasionally spilled over into poultry operations), these cases will bring to nine the number of human infections recorded since this outbreak was first detected in late March. The CDC, at the request of the state, is helping investigate the new human cases in Colorado.

And on Friday came news that another state had discovered a bird flu-infected herd. Oklahoma announced that a sample collected in April that was only recently tested was found to be positive. No explanation was given for the remarkably slow turnaround in the testing of the sample. Oklahoma called itself the 13th state to find H5N1 in dairy cattle, but in reality its place on the list should be lower, as several states only discovered positive herds in May and June.
…..

These new human and animal developments support a blunt risk assessment from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which gave voice to a rising sense of pessimism about the prospects for containing the H5N1 outbreak in cows in a recent report.

“There are no clear signs that the outbreak is or is about to come under control,” the 26-page document on the public health risks associated with the ongoing spread states plainly.

DJ, With lots of other mammals likely infected with H5N1, a likely link with-increasing-CoViD cases the outlook-in my non expert view-is BAD !!!

It should be a high priority to get H5N1 in humans under control ! For now-JUST FOR NOW !!!!!!!!-symptoms might be mild...But it is developing...A mix with other diseases is very unwelcome...