The United States is currently facing a surge of bird flu cases with rising concerns about the H5N1 virus that is spreading among wild birds and poultry and has been reported to have infected roughly 27 million animals in 31 states.
The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota on Wednesday urged residents to start taking down their bird feeders so that it prevents the congregating of songbirds. This could potentially help in curbing an "unprecedented outbreak" of what they consider to be a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds.
Bird Flu Outbreak
Scientists are also recommending caution as there are still many mysterious things about this particular strain of HPAI. However, it is known to be a particularly contagious and hard-to-kill version of the H5N1 virus. Fortunately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that it poses a low risk to the general human population.
Experts said that there will be certain species of wild birds (such as waterfowl and seabirds) that are at greater risk of contracting the virus. The animals spread the infection via feces and respiratory secretions without showing any symptoms and they said it is common for raptor species to quickly develop severe illness and die, as per Self.
In the past week, more than 200 birds have been found dead at Baker's Lake forest reserve in Barrington. On Thursday, officials announced that their suspected culprit for the incident was the new sweeping avian flu strain spreading across the U.S.
If the cause is found to be the H5N1 bird flu, which is what local scientists are speculating, the federal government is the only one who will be able to make a declaration. If so, it would become the largest outbreak of the disease in wildlife reported in the area so far, said the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
According to the Daily Herald, the forest preserve district's wildlife biologist, Chris Anchor, said that it was a common occurrence to find one or two dead "anything anywhere." He said that when there was a large concentration of dead animals, that is when an investigation should be conducted to determine what was happening. That is what Anchor and other staff members did on Apr. 6.
Mass Killing of Chickens
The bird flu outbreak also comes as many are calling for the end of the "ventilation shutdown" for mass chicken killing in the United States. There have been documented experiments that were funded by the U.S'. Poultry and Egg Association, which is a major industry trade group.
They took place in the wake of the 2015 outbreak of a highly aggressive bird flu that forced many breeders to cull roughly 50 million farmed birds. While not all of the animals were infected, the process was done across the U.S. to prevent the spread of the infection.
The researchers who were responsible for testing the new set of disease control methods explained that it was a method to kill animals through heatstroke and suffocation, which is similar to dying in a hot car. The Animal Outlook attorney who obtained videos of the process, Will Lowrey, said, "the suffering is extremely profound," The Intercept reported.
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