Outbreak of bird flu spread to Tampa Bay

A deadly strain of bird flu that makes Florida birds sick has arrived in Tampa Bay Although it is a region, it does not appear to pose a threat to people, according to the state’s wildlife authorities.

The virus has killed countless birds, including bald eagles, ducks, and black vultures, said Mark Cunningham, a wildlife health veterinarian at the State Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Migratory birds can spread the disease from Europe to North America.

“We have never experienced it in Florida, which we know,” Cunningham said. “This year-February, March, April-it killed a lot of wild birds.”

There is no way to count the total number of deaths. Many birds die without being found.

The first incident in Florida surfaced in January after a hunter brought in a blue-winged teal from Palm Beach County. According to Cunningham, one of the first species to be widely affected was the lesser scaup, the lesser scaup. Thousands of people have died since then, but bird flu is not always fatal.

Pineras and Hillsboro confirmed the case As of Monday.

Many illnesses Go back and forth between animals and peopleThe threat, scientists say, is growing as humans move into their former wild spaces. However, the bird flu strain is “very low risk to humans at this time,” said Andrew Bowman, a professor of veterinary medicine at Ohio State University.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it emerged in Europe in late 2020 and has since spread around the world. At the time, only one person was confirmed infected in the UK, but no symptoms were seen, officials said.

Still, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission keeps out of contact with sick and dead birds, wears gloves when disinfecting feeding boxes, and flocking backyards from wild birds that can carry bird flu. It is recommended to keep it away.

So far, according to the state, the virus is only known to have made wild birds sick in Florida.

Sick birds may show signs of respiratory problems such as coughing and sneezing. Yvette Johnson Walker, a lecturer at the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine, said he could have more serious symptoms, such as bleeding under the skin and diarrhea.

“It’s a kind of multi-organ system disorder,” she said.

Bird flu can pass from bird to bird, or through saliva and feces. Songbirds have a lower risk of getting sick, the Conservation Commission says. However, others such as seagulls, sandpipers, eagles, hawks, and crows may be more susceptible.

The relapse of bird flu between 2014 and 2015 killed or killed more than 50 million turkeys and chickens directly. This has hit the poultry industry in the northern Midwest. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture..

Recent outbreaks have affected more than 31 million birds, primarily chickens, from commercial and backyard herds. Agency report..

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Consumers don’t have to worry too much, according to Johnson Walker, as the meat and egg industry continues to check to pull sick chickens out of their food supply. However, mass mortality or euthanasia to prevent further spread reduces poultry inventory and Grocery price..

According to federal officials, the outbreak of bird flu in 2015 declined sharply in June. Johnson-Walker said some researchers want immediate amnesty because the virus can struggle at warmer temperatures.

Meanwhile, influenza continues to spread westward throughout the United States.

“Avian flu has a season similar to seasonal human flu,” said Johnson-Walker. “We hope it just disappears in the spring and summer.”

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How to avoid bird flu

Residents need to:

Do not touch sick or dead wild birds.

Disinfect the bird feeder or bath only while wearing gloves.

Wash your hands after cleaning the bird feeders and baths.

Keep wild birds away from poultry.

The hunter is:

Wear rubber gloves when cleaning birds, and be sure to wash your hands afterwards.

Avoid eating, drinking and smoking while cleaning the birds.

Disinfect tools and workbenches.

Cook the game and chicken thoroughly (make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees).

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For more information

Read more online bird influenza

Report dead birds Online to state

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission