The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) said the man is a state prisoner under the age of 40 who worked on a commercial farm in Montrose County. The man has recovered from fatigue, CDPHE said. He is currently isolated and being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. “Repeated tests on the individual were negative for the flu,” Colorado officials said in a statement. “Because the person was in close contact with infected poultry, the virus could have been in the person’s nose without causing infection.” The CDC also said the detection may have been the result of a surface infection. “This one human case of H5 positive does not change the risk assessment for human health,” the CDC said. “The CDC takes regular preparedness and prevention measures, which include an existing candidate vaccine virus that could be used to make a vaccine for humans, if needed.” People at higher risk of infection due to regular contact with infected birds should take the precautions described on the CDC website. Precautions include avoiding contact with poultry that appear sick or dead and staying away from surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds. If you are handling wild birds or poultry, wear gloves and wash your hands when done. People can also wear a face mask and goggles if possible. In February, bird flu was first reported in a commercial turkey herd in Dubois, Indiana, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was the first outbreak in the United States since 2020. Influenza-related illness has been confirmed in commercial flocks and herds in at least 12 states and wild birds in more than 30 states, according to the ministry. Earlier this month, the spread prompted zoo officials across the country to temporarily move their birds indoors as a precautionary measure.
