Bird flu: Fear of ICE may discourage dairy workers from seeking testing, US union warns

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A United Farm Workers warning says fear of immigration enforcement may be deterring dairy workers in Washington state’s Yakima Valley from seeking bird-flu testing or treatment. Three human infections, including one death, have been confirmed in Yakima County, but the union believes additional cases may be undetected.

A US agricultural union warns that fears of immigration enforcement could be deterring dairy workers in Washington state from being tested for bird flu, potentially leaving human infections undetected.Three human infections, including one death, have been confirmed in Yakima County, but the United Farm Workers (UFW) believes that additional workers may have undiagnosed infection.UFW said that it had spoken to various workers in the Yakima Valley in Washington who were sick with symptoms consistent with avian influenza but who had not been tested.“Speaking with workers, we believe the official case numbers are a vast undercount,” said UFW, which represents thousands of farm workers across the US.1“The workers report symptoms that range from mild upper respiratory infection with [conjunctivitis] to severe flu symptoms with bone pain, severe cough, and high fever.”The union warned that migrant workers are reluctant to seek testing or treatment for fear of repercussion amid a surge in...