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To Protect the Public From Potential Risks Associated WITH H5N1 IDPH Has Taken the Following Steps:
Active engagement with academic partners that do wastewater surveillance for influenza A across the state. IDPH and LHDs are responding to any wastewater signals for H5 (H5N1 is subvariant of this category) However, to date, there have been no consistent high level detects for more than one week in a row suggesting that the spikes in Flu A in waste water are transient and don’t suggest a significant or sustained outbreak of Flu A, thus far. No human cases or sick animals on farms have been identified as a result of these elevated levels in the waste water, thus far. IDPH monitors each event closely and conducts the following actions in response to each high level flu A detection:
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Further, IDPH is prepared to launch additional actions if we identify any persistent presence of high Flu A levels in the waste water, outside of the Flu season, or any suspected/documented infections in cattle farms, animals or humans.
To Protect the Public From Potential Risks Associated WITH H5N1 IDPH Has Taken the Following Steps:
- Activated an internal workgroup composed of experts in epidemiology, infectious disease, medicine, laboratory services, emergency response planning and dairy for preparation of a detailed response plan should the virus be found in an Illinois dairy herd.
- Daily communications and information sharing with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, USDA, FDA and CDC along with continuous monitoring of the evolving situation across the US and engagement with other states regarding their preparedness activities.
- Active collaborations with external stakeholders to build a multifaceted, response and unified messaging through partners including the Dept. of Agriculture, the Dept. of Natural Resources, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Milk Producers Association, Local Health Departments (LHDs), Illinois Migrant Council, large animal veterinarians and the University of Illinois. These collaborations have included:
Active engagement with academic partners that do wastewater surveillance for influenza A across the state. IDPH and LHDs are responding to any wastewater signals for H5 (H5N1 is subvariant of this category) However, to date, there have been no consistent high level detects for more than one week in a row suggesting that the spikes in Flu A in waste water are transient and don’t suggest a significant or sustained outbreak of Flu A, thus far. No human cases or sick animals on farms have been identified as a result of these elevated levels in the waste water, thus far. IDPH monitors each event closely and conducts the following actions in response to each high level flu A detection:
-snip-
Further, IDPH is prepared to launch additional actions if we identify any persistent presence of high Flu A levels in the waste water, outside of the Flu season, or any suspected/documented infections in cattle farms, animals or humans.
- IDPH has allocated resources to and initiated a process for H5N1 testing of felines from farms who test negative for rabies.
- IDPH will conduct a tabletop exercise in July, 2024 that will involve IDPH, Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and LHDs to test the response plan.
