H5N1 HPAI Canada Goose Davison County South Dakota

[niman]

Avian Flu confirmed in Canada goose near Mitchell cemetery

Sam Fosness, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.

Fri, March 25, 2022, 7:46 PM·3 min read

 

 

Mar. 25—City officials say a case of Avian Flu has been detected in a goose near the Mitchell cemetery.

According to Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Nelson, the investigation began after a city official noticed a goose acting strange Thursday.

https://news.yahoo.com/avian-flu-confirmed-canada-goose-234600786.html

[niman]

Mar. 25—City officials say a case of Avian Flu has been detected in a goose near the Mitchell cemetery.

According to Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Nelson, the investigation began after a city official noticed a goose acting strange Thursday.

Nelson said a wildlife biologist confirmed the suspected goose that was roaming around the cemetery near Lake Mitchell tested positive for Avian Flu, more commonly known as Bird Flu.

"They contacted a wildlife biologist, and they were able to do some testing with a mask and gloves. It turned out that it had Avian Flu," Nelson said Thursday in an interview with the Mitchell Republic. "There were droppings in the area by the cemetery that they were able to identify."

 

According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, the state's first case of avian influenza was confirmed in 2015 at a commercial turkey farm in Beadle County, which is about 50 miles north of the Mitchell area.

The latest cases of Bird Flu were detected in several snow geese and Canada geese in early March at two commercial turkey plants in Charles Mix County, GF&P officials say.

"As in past outbreaks, significant impacts to commercial poultry operations and backyard poultry flocks have been seen. We have also seen confirmed and suspected mortality several migratory waterfowl and raptor species in SD over the past several weeks," said Rocco Murano, a senior waterfowl biologist with GF&P. "Common symptoms are lethargy, tremors, inability to walk/fly and a twisted neck."

Luckily, Murano said, the migration of arctic geese is progressing extremely rapidly this year. While the state could expect low levels interspecies transmission, Murano hopes the mortality rate will remain low.

"It is generally thought that the avian influenza virus doesn't tolerate warm conditions as well which should slow spread as spring weather warms into summer," Murano said. "It remains to be seen if this outbreak fizzles out over the summer or re-emerges in the fall. It is likely that a cooperative monitoring effort involving state and federal agencies will begin prior to fall migration."

State GF&P has been working with the South Dakota Animal Industry Board (AIB) and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to monitor and respond to additional outbreaks of avian influenza.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, avian influenza is transmissible from birds to humans. The virus can be transmitted to humans through a person's eyes, nose and mouth. Mild symptoms of the bird flu can range from upper respiratory sickness such as coughing, sore throat, fatigue and headaches. More severe symptoms in humans include pneumonia, vomiting, fevers and seizures.

While bird flu is transmissible to humans, the CDC says the spread of bird flu viruses from one infected person to another "is very rare." According to the CDC, bird flu in humans can only be detected through lab testing, meaning doctors are not able to clinically diagnose a human with the virus.

City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein is urging people to be cautious when around the presence of geese in the Mitchell area.

"People need to be cautious because it can transmit to humans," Ellwein said.

[niman]

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=43.731859208033924%2C-98.06044843744225&z=12

Edited March 26, 2022 by niman