United States: The spread of bird flu among poultry and dairy farms has heightened concerns about the disposal of infected birds.
Health experts warn that the methods used to kill and dispose of infected poultry, such as dumping carcasses in landfills and methods that put workers in close proximity to the virus, could pose risks to humans and livestock.
Data obtained by Reuters and interviews with officials and disease experts highlight the potential for these practices to further spread the disease
Also, the extreme heat that made it difficult to really keep the protective equipment on during the asphyxiation by carbon dioxide of the chickens on a Colorado egg farm which likely to contribute to five bird flu cases among the workers and the largest cluster of the human case in the United States.
Call for Systematic Use of Protective Gear
As reported by Reuters, The situation highlights the need for systematic use of protective gear when killing the sick animals, said the CDC’s Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah on a Tuesday call with reporters about the outbreak.
Workers that are killing the chickens risk inhaling the virus said the Dr. Michael Osterholm an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, of the process and the workers had mild symptoms including the pink eye and the respiratory issues.
Decision-Making Process for Bird Disposal
“Depopulation activities actually need to clearly focus on protection for these people,” he said.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture said in response to questions that the method of killing birds is decided jointly between the state, the farmer, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Thickness of Colorado Case
As this is already stated that bird flu has migrated to nearly every state over the past 2.5 years and there have been nine cases till now in the poultry and the dairy workers since March which includes the Colorado poultry workers as well.
However, this spread could likely increase the infections among humans and though the risk of it getting spread in public is still on and this really could be dangerous said the CDC.
Almost about 95 million chickens, turkeys and other poultry have been killed and disposed of since February 2022 according to the USDA data obtained by the Reuters showing the culling and the disposal methods through the late June.
So the numbers are like that almost 150 of the workers were exposed to the infected poultry, where 69 displayed symptoms and were more than that has been tested and 5 of them were positive said the AnneMarie Harper communication director at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.