Bird Flu Center

Traces of the low pathogenic H6N2 avian flu virus have been found on ducks in central Illinois, as a second batch of tests confirmed. The US government announced on Tuesday that the virus was found in 5 of the 11 birds that were sampled for bird flu. This is a common form of the virus that is frequently found in wild birds. The result is usually minor sickness or no noticeable disease for birds. Other states that have reported such occurrences this year include Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The results come as part of a massive campaign of testing wild birds in an attempt to detect any bird flu outbreak on US soil early on.

The Department of Agriculture of the United States has announced the positive testing of 5 wild migratory birds in the state of Illinois for a strain of H5N1 bird flu virus. The birds in question are Green-winged Teals and the strain they host is believed to be a low pathogenic subtype of the feared virus. It is also claimed that this is not related to the avian influenza disease that has claimed the lives of over 150 people worldwide. The samples were collected form birds that appeared healthy and, as an announcement by the USDA on their official website reads, the virus found poses no threat to human health. The wildfowl was found in the Rice Lake Conservation Area of Fulton County, Illinois, and although 11 samples were initially collected, only 5 turned out to have traces of bird flu virus. As duck populations, including Green-winged Teal, are commonly hunted, the USDA states that there is no known health risk to hunters or hunting dogs from contact with such a low pathogenic form of avian influenza.

The latest estimates predict Illinois will be no stranger to bird flu, as the central part of the state could be hit by the disease as early as September, with migratory birds flying down the Illinois River waterway. Therefore, health officials are recommending all households have two to three weeks of supplies for the unfortunate event of widespread quarantines. One chief officer of the American Red Cross stated how important these measures are, as health organizations all over the world are watchful for the disease’s evolution. Because the virus is mutating very fast, no one can be sure when a new strain will develop and cause a world pandemic.

Therefore, alarms must be sent to inform the population and contain the damage that such an event may cause. Normally, Red Cross recommendations say a household should have three days of supplies, but with the threat of bird flu, a possible interruption of basic services might occur, so up to three weeks of supplies are advisable, including food, water and medicine.