Bird flu confirmed in Mat-Su - Alaska's News Source

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation reported that the state’s first case of avian influenza has been confirmed in “a non-commercial backyard flock of chickens and ducks in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.”

The department press release describes avian influenza as highly pathogenic virus and said that the Office of the State Veterinarian is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to respond.

“With this confirmed case, it’s clear that migrating birds have brought avian influenza to Alaska this spring,” said Dr. Robert Gerlach, Alaska State Veterinarian. “We are relying on flock owners to keep an eye on their animals for signs of illness, and to report any possible cases of avian influenza promptly to their own veterinarian or to our office.”

The release said that nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, respiratory distress, or sudden death of multiple birds should be concerning signs to flock owners. Additional symptoms that the release says may be signs of avian influenza are a drop in water consumption, lethargy, difficulty walking, diarrhea, or blue discoloration of the comb and wattles or a swollen comb, wattles, legs, or head.

The release said that Alaskans who suspect avian influenza cases among their own flocks or wild birds should contact Gerlach at 907-375-8215 or by email at bob.gerlach@alaska.gov.

The release also said that human health risk from the avian influenza is “very low,” but highly contagious for birds, and stresses that flock owners should take precautionary measures. The department also provided a fact sheet with additional signs to watch for, precautionary measures and contact information for state officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first U.S. case of human avian influenza in Colorado on Thursday. Since the beginning of the bird flu outbreak this year, over 35 million poultry have been affected. There have been 34 states with wild birds that have contracted avian influenza, and 29 states that have had poultry outbreaks according to the CDC.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional information.

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