Amid Bird Flu outbreak in Colorado, local farmer shares concerns

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado farmers are concerned for their bird stock after the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as "bird flu," was detected in both wild and domestic birds across the state.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture first reported cases in February. According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the statewide outbreak began at a commercial poultry operation in Montrose County.

Color coding legend for the HPAI map:

• Blue Counties have positive wild bird cases, that includes El Paso County.
• Red Counties have positive domestic bird cases
• Purple counties have positive cases in both domestic and wild birds

Just recently, new cases of HPAI were confirmed along the western slope.

On April 9, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of HPAI in a non-commercial backyard flock in Pikin County.

According to the USDA, officials will have to euthanize 60,000 birds to stop the virus from spreading.