Threat of bird flu ‘very low’ in Santa Barbara County, according to DPH – Santa Ynez Valley News

Resources for back yard poultry owners can be in this video produced by the University of Maryland's College of Agriculture & Natural Resources.

The Santa Barbara Public Health Department is closely monitoring an ongoing multistate outbreak of "bird flu" in dairy cows, but the risk to the general public locally remains very low, according to the department.

There have been three human cases of Influenza A-H5N1 (avian influenza) associated with the outbreak in Michigan, Wisconsin and Texas. All three people had direct access to infected cows, and developed symptoms including eye infection and mild upper respiratory symptoms, according to the department.

DPH recommends that county residents avoid interaction with sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals including cows, if possible. Exposure to animal feces, bedding and drinking raw milk should also be avoided.

The department said the pasteurization process for milk kills the A(H5N1) virus.

Those who have job-related contact with infected or potentially infected birds orother animals should be aware of the risk of exposure to avian influenza viruses and should take proper precautions. The department encourages individuals working with or around potentially infected animals to wear appropriate and recommended personal protective equipment.

Avian influenza in the U.S. is a rapidly changing situation, and public health said the Centers for Disease Control will provide updates on the outbreak and recommended responses on their website, http://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu.

Report any unusual or suspicious numbers of sick or dead domestic birds to theCalifornia Department of Food and Agricultures Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-2473 or report to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife online at http://www.wildlife.ca.gov.

Read more here:

Threat of bird flu 'very low' in Santa Barbara County, according to DPH - Santa Ynez Valley News