The first case of bird flu stemming from an outbreak that’s led to the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys has been confirmed in Alaska, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation announced on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The case was confirmed in a backyard flock of chickens and ducks in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, according to the department. Alaska’s Office of the State Veterinarian is working with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on a joint response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property will be culled to prevent the spread of the disease, according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection <\/a>Service<\/a>, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.<\/p>\n “With this confirmed case, it’s clear that migrating birds have brought avian influenza to Alaska this spring,” said Dr. Robert Gerlach, Alaska state veterinarian, in a news release. “We are relying on flock owners to keep an eye on their animals for signs of illness, and to report any possible cases of avian influenza promptly to their own veterinarian or to our office.”<\/p>\n Public health risk associated with the recent bird flu outbreak is low, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. <\/a><\/p>\n According to the CDC: “Risk depends on exposure, and people with more exposure may have a greater risk of infection. Sporadic human infections with HPAI A(H5) bird flu viruses in the U.S. resulting from close contact with infected birds\/poultry would not be surprising given past human infections that have occurred sporadically in other countries and would not significantly change CDC’s risk assessment.”<\/p>\n