Avian Flu Outbreak Slows in US Poultry as Marine Mammal Cases Rise in California

Bird Flu Update Health officials across the United States continue monitoring an expanding avian influenza outbreak affecting both wild and domestic bird populations. According to the CDC and USDA tracking data, commercial poultry detections have slowed this month compared with March, with twenty-eight confirmed outbreaks reported across twenty commercial and eight backyard flocks. Roughly seven hundred thousand birds have been affected in the past thirty days. The outbreak in Minnesota's Big Stone County remains significant, involving sixty-two thousand nine hundred birds on a commercial turkey farm. Additional cases have been reported in North and South Dakota and Georgia, with each state reporting new avian flu outbreaks at commercial poultry facilities. Wild bird detections show a declining trend, with thirteen notices from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported in the past ten days. Three Bald Eagles in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New York have tested positive for the virus, alongside four additional birds including gulls and a Red-necked phalarope from San Mateo County, California. The California marine mammal outbreak continues to draw attention from veterinary and health officials. Fifty-eight mammals have now been confirmed with H5N1 avian flu, including fifty-seven sea lions and one otter. The outbreak spans four California counties, with all but seven cases occurring in San Mateo County. Affected seals have displayed abnormal respirations, tremors, and neurologic symptoms since the outbreak began in February, marking the first H5N1 detection in marine mammals in the state. Beyond U.S. borders, a European surveillance report documents significant activity between November and February. Twenty-five hundred fourteen highly pathogenic avian influenza detections were reported across thirty-two countries in Europe, affecting both domestic and wild birds. Human infections remain rare, with ten cases reported in Cambodia and China during that period and no fatal outcomes recorded. Experts emphasize that human-to-human transmission has not been documented. Meanwhile, Moderna announced it is moving forward with a large avian influenza study despite earlier funding setbacks from the Department of Health and Human Services. The effort aims to prepare for future avian influenza outbreaks. Public health officials continue recommending biosecurity measures for poultry owners and farmers. The USDA's Defend the Flock Resource Center provides free guidance, checklists, and videos for maintaining proper biosecurity practices. Thank you for tuning in to this Bird Flu Update. Be sure to come back next week for more developments in this ongoing story. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more information, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.