RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA —A total of 23 animals at egg and dairy production facilities, including one backyard coop, have tested positive for Bird Flu during the most recent Avian Flu outbreak, according to the Riverside University Health System.
A total of 38 human cases of Bird Flu had been reported in California as of Jan. 15, and no cases had been reported in Riverside County as of Jan. 30, a health system spokesperson confirmed with Patch.
The bird flu is spread from infected cows, birds, cats, and other mammals to people in various ways, including breathing in dust or droplets with the virus and touching your face or consuming raw, unpasteurized milk or milk products. “Animals such as cats are more susceptible through the exposure of raw milk products,” they said.
Riverside County Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung said health officials are mainly concerned about the exposure risks to farm and agricultural workers and those in regular contact with livestock.
Farmworkers and those exposed to such animals regularly should take proper precautions against the outbreak, he advised. However, members of the public, should also be cautious when coming into contact with farm animals, backyard flocks or even cats.
“No person-to-person virus transmission has been detected in the United States,” according to the health department. “Bird flu is spread from infected cows, birds and other animals to people in a variety of ways. These include breathing in dust or droplets with the virus, touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands after touching contaminated surfaces, or handling sick or dead animals and consuming raw unpasteurized milk or milk products.”
Officials recommended the following precautions for those who may have exposure risks:
- Wash hands immediately after contact with farm or wild animals, or handling anything around them;
- Don’t touch eyes, nose or mouth before hand-washing;
- Use personal protective equipment when in the animals’ spaces;
- Try to shower after working with the animals; and
- As much as possible, only interact with them outdoors or in well-ventilated locations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, bird flu symptoms include red eyes, coughing, sore throat, clogged nasal passages, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, headaches, fatigue, respiratory difficulty, and fever.
Bird flu treatment includes antivirals and medicines that stop the flu virus, according to the Mayo Clinic. That treatment is best started as soon as a person is symptomatic. Anyone who has been diagnosed with the Bird Flu should quarantine themselves away from other people, including those in your home.
“The overall risk to the general population is low,” Dr. Leung said. “Additional safety measures are being implemented at affected dairy and poultry farms, including ongoing monitoring for symptoms in farm workers, the use of personal protective equipment, and ensuring access to timely laboratory testing and treatment if and when needed.”
The Riverside University Health System is collaborating with the Office of the Agricultural Commissioner, the Department of Animal Services, and the Department of Environmental Health to identify risks at livestock facilities and implement containment measures when necessary.
Officials say that “poultry owners with flocks that have experienced any suspicious illness or deaths should call the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-2473.”
Additional information on the avian variant is available at www.ruhealth.org/avianflu.
