It’s spring, and birds are migrating – passing through Virginia, and perhaps spreading disease.
“Starting in about 2020 there was a recognition that in wild bird populations there was a new strain – this H5N1 avian influenza strain," says Dr. Patrick Jackson, an expert on infectious disease at UVA. He says this sickness has yet to infect domestic animals here, but chicken farmers in the Shenandoah Valley and on the Eastern Shore are on high alert.
“Making sure that it doesn’t get into the food supply is a major issue. One of the things that we saw last year and may see again this year is that poultry producers are being quite cautious about not allowing this influenza into their flocks,” Jackson says.
And public health officials are also on notice after a farmer in Texas contracted bird flu. Jackson says viruses can mutate and jump from other species to people, but he’s not especially worried.
“The simple fact that one individual human was infected with this virus doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s well-adapted to spread from human to human and cause a big problem right now,” Jackson explains.
He warns people who work with birds to wear masks, eye protection and rubber gloves. And if you find dead birds in your yard or neighborhood, the state also advises caution and a call to the Department of Wildlife Resources in Richmond.
This week, the Virginia Department of Agriculture released an update on the situation.
The influenza virus that has impacted cattle in other states has not been detected, so far, in Virginia. It has been detected in cattle in North Carolina, Ohio and other states, though.
The Department of Agriculture said the virus seems to be impacting dairy cattle and it’s recommended a number of biosecurity measures.
In most cases, the infected cows recovered in about two weeks. But the virus is similar to an avian flu that can be deadly to poultry flocks.
The Centers for Disease Control says the health risk to the general public is low.
