Last year, Washington saw 11 confirmed cases of the virus with Oregon seeing one. This comes as the first person in the U.S. died in Louisiana on Monday, Jan. 6.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The first bird flu death in the U.S. has been reported out of Louisiana. Louisiana Department of Health shared that a person over 65 years old died on Monday, after contracting the virus from backyard flocks and wild birds.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the risk of infection to the general public remains low, but is heightened in people who work with poultry, dairy cows, slaughterhouses and hatcheries.
Last year, the virus infected 66 people in America — including 11 confirmed cases in Washington and one in Oregon back in November.
“Avian influenza has been on our radar since it was first detected in Oregon in 2022,” said Molly Honea, with Think Wild, a rehabilitation and conservation center in Bend.
Although the nonprofit said it hasn’t treated any animals suspected with the virus, it has referred cases to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“We do see higher instances of avian influenza during migration season,” Honea said, “especially waterfowl who are traveling in huge flocks north to south and south to north, and with them come bird poop and germs — and all of that.”
There are a few precautionary measures you can take. For humans, you can get a seasonal flu shot, cook poultry thoroughly and avoid raw milk as pasteurized milk kills bacteria and viruses.
As for furry friends, Honea said it's always a good idea to keep pets away from wildlife and to keep them away from where waterfowl congregate.
“Keeping dogs on leashes, if you're walking them in areas where there is a lot of waterfowl, big fields tend to be really popular among ducks and geese,” she said. “which is unfortunately often what's most popular with dogs. With outdoor cats, we recommend keeping them indoors, if at all possible or building catios or at least keeping them inside during dawn and dusk. That's when birds and other wildlife tend to be more active.”
Just last month, a family's cat in Washington County died from bird flu after it ate raw turkey meat in the pet food. The incident triggered a nationwide pet food recall of Northwest Naturals brand's 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food after a sample tested positive for bird flu. So, avoiding raw poultry is also recommended.
If you have backyard poultry, health officials recommend you wash your hands often don't kiss or snuggle your birds and don't touch your face after handling them. It's also a good idea to have designated shoes that you keep outdoors while caring for backyard poultry and clean supplies like water and food containers.
Some bird flu symptoms include pink eye, fever, fatigue, a cough, and muscle or body aches.
