H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak Raises Pandemic Fears

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning that human infections from the H5N1 avian flu could potentially lead to a severe illness and even a pandemic if the virus mutates to enable efficient human-to-human transmission.

In Colorado, health authorities have reported four confirmed cases of the H5N1 bird flu virus among poultry workers, with a fifth suspected case currently under investigation. The state’s public health department announced that the CDC has verified four of these cases, and the fifth is pending confirmation. The CDC is also providing support for further investigation.

The infected workers exhibited mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis (pink-eye) and respiratory signs, but none required hospitalization. A statement from the state’s public health department mentioned that samples from the fifth worker tested presumptive positive at the state laboratory and have been sent to the CDC for confirmation.