Texas officials confirmed Wednesday that extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or chook flu) has been detected in Austin-Travis County after checks had been carried out on useless birds found in North Austin earlier this month.
The Austin Public Well being Division and Texas Division of State Well being Companies mentioned the checks on the deceased birds had been carried out by an space veterinary lab, which detected the virus.
Austin Public Well being issued the advisory Wednesday as a reminder to the general public that individuals who work with contaminated wild birds, poultry or dairy cows are at a better threat of contracting the virus if they’re uncovered to a sick or contaminated useless animal.
Whereas chook flu sometimes impacts wild birds, particularly waterfowl, and home poultry, over 60 human instances of chook flu have been detected throughout the U.S.
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An individual touches a take a look at tube labeled “Hen Flu” Jan. 14, 2023. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Picture)
A affected person in Louisiana who had been hospitalized with the primary human case of bird flu died Monday, based on the Louisiana Division of Well being (LDH).
The unidentified affected person was over 65 and was reported to have underlying medical situations, the company mentioned.
The identical affected person was discovered to have a mutated model of the virus, the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) introduced final week, suggesting chook flu might doubtlessly unfold from human to human.
LOUISIANA REPORTS FIRST BIRD FLU-RELATED HUMAN DEATH IN US
A mallard in a river (iStock)
Each the CDC and the LDH keep that the chance to the general public stays low.
Officers did warning, nevertheless, that those that are available contact with birds, poultry or cows are at a better threat of contracting the virus.
As of Friday, there have been 66 confirmed human instances of chook flu, together with the Louisiana case, based on the CDC. Of these, 37 had been in California, 11 in Washington state and 10 in Colorado.
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This undated electron microscopic picture supplied by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention exhibits two Influenza A (H5N1) virions, a kind of chook flu virus. (Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC through AP, File)
Round 40 of the instances had been associated to publicity to cattle herds.
Avian influenza is a highly contagious virus that may unfold by way of contact with contaminated animals, by tools and on the clothes and footwear of caretakers, based on the Michigan Division of Agriculture and Rural Improvement.
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Austin well being officers encourage anybody who comes throughout a sick or useless chook to contact the Texas Animal Well being Fee at 800-550-8242. The officers additionally encourage anybody with a sick or useless pet chook to contact a veterinarian.
Fox Information Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
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