The agency in charge of wildlife in Florida indicated that cases of a type of bird flu have been detected in some areas of this state in species such as the black vulture, the pochard and others, but indicated that the risk of transmission to humans is “low”.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) added that, according to the National Veterinary Laboratories, the disease detected is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPIA). , in English).
It is a disease that is not treatable and spreads easily among birds, but for which “no human contagion is known in North America so far”.
The agency is investigating whether the recorded bird mortality in Florida counties of Brevard, Indian River and Volusia, on the east coast, is due to HPIA, which was detected in birds in Palm Beach County as early as last January.
To prevent the spread of HPIA, the public should avoid handling animals sick or dead wild birds, prohibit domestic bird contact with wild birds, and report wild bird mortality to the FWC for investigation.
The FWC is working closely with federal departments and state and entities such as the University of Florida and the National Center for Wildlife Health to investigate the mortality of wild birds detected in some Floridian counties.
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