The CDC is sending a team to Washington state to evaluate the health of farm workers who culled poultry affected by bird flu, following reports that four workers are presumed infected. Key details include:
Infection Cases: If confirmed, these cases would mark Washington as the sixth state to report human infections of bird flu this year. The workers exhibited mild respiratory symptoms and conjunctivitis after working at an infected egg farm.
Protective Measures: The workers’ use of protective gear was inconsistent during their duties, which involved removing carcasses and cleaning facilities where approximately 800,000 chickens were culled.
Public Health Concerns: Experts worry about the potential for simultaneous infections of bird flu and seasonal influenza, which could increase the risk of the virus adapting to spread more easily among humans. However, there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
Vaccination Initiatives: In response to the situation, California and Washington are looking to provide seasonal flu vaccines to farm workers to mitigate the risk of dual infections.
Nationwide Context: Prior to these cases, 27 people across the U.S. had tested positive for bird flu in 2024, mostly with known exposure to infected poultry or dairy cattle. Since the outbreak began in 2022, over 100 million birds have been culled due to the virus.
The CDC continues to monitor the situation and assess risks to public health.