Bird flu may be exacerbated by summer heat
Summer heatwaves may have contributed to the H5N1 influenza or bird flu infections of five Colorado farm workers.
According to an article published in CNN, the barns in which the workers were exposed to the virus contained large fans designed to cool down the indoor temperatures. However, the fans may have also blown infected feathers and dust into the faces of the workers, who had difficulty maintaining proper seals on their masks and eye protection.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection reported that despite the higher number of cases of bird flu, the virus did not appear to carry mutations allowing for easier transmission between humans. As a result, the CDC noted that the threat to the general population may be low.
Farm workers exposed to sick or dead animals were advised to wear personal protective equipment, including waterproof coveralls, face masks, goggles, face shields, boots, gloves and head coverings. CNN reported that the CDC is weighing the possibility of vaccinating farm workers against the virus.
Read more: CNN
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