Highly contagious avian flu spreads to wild birds in Oregon's Willamette Valley
Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been identified in wild birds in the Willamette Valley, two weeks after it was confirmed in a non-commercial backyard flock in Linn County.
As a result, Oregon wildlife officials are urging the public to avoid close contact with ducks and geese, and avoid feeding them.
The highly contagious bird flu, known as H5N1, is sweeping across the country, infecting millions of domestic and commercial flocks, as well as wild birds.
Last month, the USDA said nearly 23 million birds had died of the virus or been killed to slow its spread since the outbreak began.
Several Canada goose goslings collected from Alton Baker Park in Eugene tested positive, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday. A larger outbreak is suspected as more sick and dead waterfowl have been seen at the park.
A red-tailed hawk in Eugene and an osprey collected from Dorena Reservoir, east of Cottage Grove, also have tested positive.
The cases mark the first known detection of the new avian flu strain in wild birds in Oregon.
An additional case in domestic birds has been confirmed in Lane County, ODFW officials said.
To-date, the outbreak has affected 68 species in 40 states. Avian influenza has been detected in wild birds in 37 of those states.
The outbreak poses a low heath risk to the general public, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, and poultry and egg products remain safe to eat.
ODFW is asking people who see sick or dead birds to avoid collecting or handling them. Instead, they should report the incident to the department by calling 866-968-2600 or emailing Wildlife.Health@odfw.oregon.gov.
Oregon's wildlife rehabilitators are not currently accepting sick ducks and geese in order to protect other avian patients and education birds in their care.
People with domesticated backyard birds such as poultry, should increase biosecurity and keep the birds separated from wild birds, especially waterfowl.
Tracy Loew is a reporter at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Willamette Valley wild birds get highly contagious avian flu
