January 18, 2021

First bird flu case detected in a wild bird in the US since 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it has detected the first case of Eurasian H5 avian influenza, a highly pathogenic type of avian influenza in a wild bird in South Carolina, the first detected in a wild bird since 2016, Reuters reported.

The exact virus strain is yet to be confirmed. One case of the H7N3 strain was detected in a commercial turkey flock in 2020 in South Carolina.

The USDA has advised poultry producers to review safety protocols to assure their flock's health.

Michael Neault, South Carolina's state veterinarian, said there is no indication that the virus has spread from wild birds to poultry so far.

A US avian flu outbreak in 2015 killed 50 million chickens and turkeys.

-      Reuters