The Chronicle The number of workers at a Franklin County commercial egg farm who have now tested positive for avian influenza has increased to eight, according to preliminary test results.
The outbreak at the large farm has the first human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1, known in the state of Washington.
Of the eight preliminary positive cases, two were confirmed positive Thursday night with additional testing by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Confirmation testing of the other six cases in pending.
The Washington state Department of Agriculture says two more cases in birds of the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza have been reported in two more counties since the Pasco area outbreak was confirmed Oct. 15.