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Show Volume XXIX Issue V The Ogden Valley News Page 11 June 15, 2022 AVIAN FLU cont. from page 1 “While it does happen, it’s not very common for wildlife species other than birds to get highly pathogenic avian influenza,” DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said. “Some states have had one or two cases in wild mammals, but it’s pretty infrequent, and it seems to affect younger animals more often when it does occur.” Some of the most recent birds confirmed to have died from avian flu include two pelicans and a Canada goose found on the shore of Scofield Reservoir. The pelicans were found May 13 and the goose was located May 16. They were collected by DWR officials and sent to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Logan for testing. The birds were then sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, which confirmed they had highly pathogenic avian influenza. The Department of Environmental Quality confirmed the drinking water from Scofield Reservoir would not be impacted by avian flu, since the water is treated. Normal recreational activities, such as fishing and swimming should also not be impacted. High pathogenic avian influenza viruses are very contagious among birds and can cause rapid and high mortality in domestic birds, such as chickens, turkeys, and domestic ducks. These viruses occasionally kill wild birds, as well. The most common wild birds impacted by the virus are typically waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and scavengers, including birds like hawks, owls, ravens, and vultures. There are typically few symptoms in waterfowl and shorebirds, but the virus can kill raptors and scavengers quickly. The virus is spread among birds through nasal and oral discharge, as well as fecal droppings. It can be spread to backyard poultry and domestic HUNTSVILLE TOWN cont. from page 1 birds through contaminated shoes or vehicles. Songbirds are not typically affected by avian flu, so people shouldn’t have to remove bird feeders unless they also have backyard chickens or domestic ducks, which are susceptible to the virus. However, it’s always recommended to regularly clean bird feeders and baths. Although the current strain of the avian flu presents a low risk to people, it has been confirmed in at least one person in Colorado during this most recent outbreak. Visit the CDC website for more information on keeping yourself safe. “If anyone finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds or any individual dead scavengers or raptors, they should report it to the nearest DWR office and absolutely make sure not to touch the birds or pick them up,” DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said. “Just report it to us, and we will come collect them for testing. We are continuing to monitor this virus in wild bird populations. It typically doesn’t have much of an impact on the overall populations of waterfowl, but it’s likely that we will have some die now that it’s been confirmed in wild birds in the state.” The last outbreak of avian flu in the U.S. occurred in 2014–2015, when highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza were detected in wild birds of the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways. During that outbreak, the virus was detected in two healthy ducks in Utah. For more information about the current avian flu outbreak in wild birds, visit the DWR website. To report any symptoms of avian flu in domestic birds, contact the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food at ag.utah.gov/hpai/. Children’s Business Fair a Huge Success! Reese Hilton, Sixth Grade The second-annual Valley Children’s Business Fair, held May 13 at Eden Park, was a huge success. We had 70 booths with over 100 participating children, and 350 community members came to shop in which the Valley Children’s Business Fair could not have been possible without. Thank you, Valley friends! As a booth owner, the Valley Children’s Business Fair was a way to create, build, and be creative with my booth and product. Shown above is young entrepreneur Reese Hilton It was also a great way to make some money and interact with costumers—young and with helpers Claire and Jane Wadsworth. old. What I learned from the Valley Children’s Business Fair was, you don’t need to be an adult to start a business, that it’s good to put time and effort into something, and I learned to better interact with grownups. To the kids in the Valley thinking about starting a business next year, you can go to our website ChildrensBizFair.com where we made a video to show you what it would look like to participate in the Valley Children’s Businesses Fair. We invite and encourage you to join us next year! Also, I want to thank the community for coming out and supporting us small business owners! Note: The day of the fair a customer named Shelly bought two metal tulips from a booth and forgot to pick them Youth ages 5 to 16 participated in this year’s secondand taken to the diagnostic lab for incineration up. If this is you, please call 269-492- annual Valley Children’s Business Fair at Eden Park. if it is a species of concern. Please don’t bury 2318! them. Scavengers dig them up and spread the virus. People can get on the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food website for more good guidance.” Also, please do not dispose of them in trash cans because other predators at the landfill or transfer facility may become infected. Of course, use precautions by wearing gloves, etc., although it sounds like the spread of avian flu to humans is unlikely. The town has limited resources so we are asking citizens to keep an eye out for sick birds, and we would appreciate your help in capturing, isolating, and contacting DWR at 801-476-2740 for disposal. We would like to be kept aware of the data, so please let us know of any birds you dispose of by emailing mayor@huntsvilletown. com or leaving a message at 801-745-3420. We are hopeful these cases are limited, but if the cases continue, we may need to organize and create a central disposal site. Upon arrival, I completed the questionnaire and made a donation to their great organization. I was surprised when the lady retrieving the bird was dressed in a full hazmat suit. They suspected that the bird may have had avian bird influenza, and I was told it is extremely contagious amongst all bird species, so they take the precautions to protect the other birds in their facility. The bird ultimately tested positive for avian bird influenza. Unfortunately, the very next day, another sick vulture was spotted on 7700 S., which was cause for concern. It is suspected that the predator birds probably ate an infected bird and, in turn, became infected. For that reason, it is important to dispose of them properly. We don’t want to cause a panic, but over 1 million chickens have been lost in Cache Valley as a result of the avian flu. According to the State of Utah Veterinarian, “Turkey vultures are one of the more commonly affected. They (residents) should contact DWR (Division of Wildlife Resources) every As always, the most up-to-date information time and explain the situation. They (DWR) will be made available by signing up for our Shown above are some of the one hundred of youth who participated in this year’s business fair. can determine the risk better than the public. If email and text notifications at HuntsvilleTown. Shown from left to right are Piper Williams, Scarlet Buttars, Aisley Olsen, Bryn Marriott, and directed, dead birds should be double bagged com. Aeva Haun. |
