Bird flu reaches Hawaii, last state to escape bird flu

Hawaii officials are warning residents who attended local pet fairs to be on the lookout for the following symptoms: bird flu This comes after a local flock of ducks and other birds tested positive for the H5N1 virus that has caused a global outbreak.

Officials suspect wild migratory birds are likely the source of the infections in the flocks first identified in Hawaii. Hawaii was the last state in the country with no reported cases. poultry or wild bird Currently in vogue.

Federal officials said the infection was confirmed by sequencing tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's national laboratory in Iowa. announced Monday.

The specific genotype of the virus that infected birds is known as A3, said Lindsey Cole, a spokeswoman for the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

This suggests that the virus spread to Hawaii's flocks from migratory birds, unlike the B3.13 genotype that caused unprecedented outbreaks in dairy and poultry farms this year.

A Hawaii Department of Agriculture spokesperson said investigators have so far not established any connection between the herd and the imported animals or travel. The island “has strict import regulations for birds and other animals,” a spokesperson said.

All of the infected birds were kept in the same location, but an investigation is underway to eradicate any other potential cases. The state health department said the birds did not show any symptoms until several days after the fair, and the risk to humans has diminished.

“As there were no signs of infection in the birds at the time of the exhibition, it is unlikely that the H5N1 virus can infect humans. However, out of an abundance of caution, the DOH does not allow people to attend the exhibition and touch the ducks and geese.” “We recommend that people who have contracted the virus protect themselves from infection and monitor for influenza-like illness (ILI) and conjunctivitis,” the province said in a statement. release.

A quarantine order has been placed on the property where the birds were present, requiring all birds to “reduce population and clean and disinfect the property,” the state Department of Agriculture said. said. An order was also issued prohibiting animals from entering the premises.

At least 10 birds, including ducks, geese and zebra pigeons, were reported to have died at the facility on November 12, and samples taken from the dead birds were sent for testing for the virus.

We are closely monitoring cases of human infection.

Infected herd confirmed in Hawaii after wastewater samples collected by the state detected the virus in the area earlier this month.

Health officials across the country are closely monitoring signs of community spread as H5N1 infections increase. case in human All of North America.

At least 53 cases have been confirmed in seven states so far this year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. say. Most are linked to the B3.13 version of the virus, which has been infecting workers at a dairy farm and a nearby poultry farm in recent months. None of them are known to have suffered serious symptoms.

Announced by Canadian health authorities. this month They announced that they had detected cases of H5N1 avian influenza in an area. critical condition A teenage boy in the hospital. This patient was infected with the D1.1 genotype of H5N1, which is associated with another ongoing poultry outbreak in British Columbia, Canada, where they lived.

Experts say the virus the boy contracted appears to have some worrying mutations, which could explain why this case was more severe.

Scott Hensley, a professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Preliminary sequences of human H5N1 infection in British Columbia have been released, and it's not good news.” Posted 16 in November.

The CDC said genetic sequence data from previous human cases in the U.S. has found no signs that the virus has mutated to spread more efficiently between people or become significantly more dangerous. say.

However, recently the agency found the evidence So far, several asymptomatic cases during the outbreak have gone undetected, leading to increased testing recommendations.