DENVER — Colorado state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on July 14 that five human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPA) have been reported in the state.

The workers who tested positive for HPAI were exposed to an avian flu outbreak at a commercial egg layer operation.

According to information from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE), the workers were culling poultry at a farm in northeast Colorado when they started to show mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis (pink eye) and common respiratory infection symptoms. No one was hospitalized.

The agencies noted that three of the five confirmed samples came from CDPHE’s state lab and were sent to the CDC. The fourth case was a presumptive positive on July 12, and the fifth case was a presumptive positive on July 13. No additional test results are pending at this time.

The CDC continues to state that the public health risk for the general population in the United States is low. The agency also recommends that workers and farmers who are near infected animals use personal protective equipment.