Three teams of foxes die from BIRD FLU in Michigan –

Authorities announced on Thursday that three fox cubs have died from bird flu in Michigan, with the virus that has plagued birds around the world in recent months still in the wild.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported that between April 1 and April 14, three chitins died from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), one of which was discovered in Macomb, County near Detroit, in the eastern part of the state.

Another infected fox was identified and Macomb, who was confirmed to be the deceased’s brother, survived, but developed blindness and is unable to return to the wild.

This report comes a day after Minnesota officials announced that a fox kitten in their state had also died from the virus, the first such incident in a US wild animal.

The virus has spread rapidly in the world’s poultry population in recent months, killing thousands of birds and creating problems in the poultry supply chain.

DNR received a report that a wildlife rehabilitation center in that state’s southeast region observed three fox kits showing neurological signs of HPAI.

Symptoms included tremor, rotation, and seizure. Two of the foxes were dead within hours of being admitted to the facility. Third, he showed promising signs of improvement at the start of treatment, but he gave up.

All three foxes tested “non-negative” for the virus. This now marks four confirmed fox kit deaths from the bird virus in North America, in addition to the single death in Minnesota. Authorities in Ontario, Canada, had also previously reported that a fox had died from the virus.

A case of fox was also found in the Netherlands last year.

The virus has spread across the continent in recent months, causing widespread culling of birds and disrupting the poultry supply chain.

“Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a virus known to affect birds in North America and has been detected to date in 34 states in backyard farms and commercial poultry facilities, and in wild bird detections in 35 states to date,” said Eric Hilliard of DNR’s Department of Wildlife. expression.

“HPAI is highly contagious and poultry is particularly vulnerable. Additionally, this viral strain also affects waterfowl, raptors and scavengers such as turkey vultures, eagles and crows.

Hilliard says he is currently unsure how these foxes contracted the virus.

Minnesota officials estimate that the fox that died in their state contracted the virus when a wild bird was infected.

Most detected cases of the virus have been found in wild birds, but it can also easily be transmitted to domestic poultry.

Transmission to humans is rare, but possible. Last month, a Colorado inmate tested positive for the virus, becoming the first person infected during this wave.

Bird flu has devastated the world’s poultry population in recent months, forcing thousands of birds to culled and disrupted global supply chains (archive photo)

A person can become infected by contact with an infected bird. If the bird pecks or scratches them, it could potentially lead to contamination.

The virus is killed when poultry is cooked properly, so unlike foxes, humans don’t have to worry about catching the virus from eating an infected bird.

Human-to-human transmission of this version of the virus is unlikely.

But officials warn people to be careful, as the virus’s continued transmission between species opens the door to mutations that could eventually lead to a human epidemic.

“Highly pathogenic avian influenza primarily affects birds, but it’s important to remember that it can be a zoonotic disease, meaning it has the potential to be transmitted to humans from domestic or wild animals,” Hilliard said. Said.

“Now, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health risk associated with HPAI remains low, but they advise people not to touch sick or dead wild birds.”