Washington state: 2022 - 2023 bird flu in wild birds

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.thedailyworld.com/news/b...harbor-county/

Bird flu detected in Grays Harbor County
Prolonged outbreak in wild birds could signal new course for virus, scientists say
By Clayton Franke • December 3, 2022 1:30 am

The evening of Nov. 9, just before dark, Vivian Dahlin drove her Jeep onto the beach at Chance a La Mer in Ocean Shores. As her tires pushed through the tire-tracked sand, she scanned the beach and noticed a gray lump lying motionless in the roadway. As she got closer, she realized it was a bird.

“I drove up to it, and I sat and watched it,” said Dahlin, who regularly volunteers rescuing birds for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “I sort of talked to it. It didn’t move. I drove around it a couple of times, and it didn’t move. That’s not normal.”

Despite its behavior, the bird was “quite alive,” Dahlin said. The bird — which to Dahlin looked like a small goose — sat upright, nodding its head off to one side. It didn’t flee when Dahlin nudged it with her dog-ball launcher.

After scooping it into a carrier, Dahlin took the bird to the Twin Harbors Wildlife Center in Montesano, which sent test samples from the bird to a Washington State University wildlife disease lab in Pullman.

The bird, a Cackling Goose, died soon after...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://westseattleblog.com/2022/12/...ptoms-on-alki/

WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: Swan with bird-flu symptoms on Alki
December 3, 2022 2:25 pm
| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

2:25 PM: That’s Kersti Muul‘s photo of a Trumpeter Swan seen at Alki this morning, showing signs of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, aka “bird flu.” She says it was last seen headed toward Duwamish Head, but wants to remind everyone to keep your distance – and especially to keep dogs leashed (they’re not supposed to be on the beach anyway), as this is a contagious disease for which there is no cure. It’s also a risk to other wild birds and has led to Bald Eagle deaths, as reported here recently. Here’s background on the current nationwide situation...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://komonews.com/news/local/more...tcom-snohomish

Suspected bird flu outbreak leads to deaths of 700 birds around Skagit Bay
by KOMO News StaffThursday, December 8th 2022

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning of a suspected avian influenza outbreak among waterfowl after more than 700 birds, most of them juvenile snow geese, were recently found dead around Skagit Bay.

WDFW said Thursday that samples have been taken from the birds for testing for avian influenza more commonly known as bird flu, with the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza suspected. While the strain is very contagious among birds, WDFW said it does not appear to easily infect humans...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.yaktrinews.com/suspected...a-county-area/

Suspected outbreak of bird flu in Walla Walla County area
According to information from the health department, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sent biologists to an area where a large number of sick or dead waterfowl were found.
Posted: December 30, 2022 4:39 PM
Updated: December 30, 2022 4:58 PM
by Erin Wencl

WALLA WALLA CO., Wash. – The Walla Walla County Department of Community Health confirmed Friday it is investigating a suspected outbreak of bird flu in the area.

According to information from the health department, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sent biologists to an area where a large number of sick or dead waterfowl were found.

Samples were sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories to get a confirmation.

Health officials from the state said they suspect the birds were infected with the H5N1 strain, which is highly contagious among the bird population...

[Pathfinder]

United States of America - Influenza A viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Follow up report 63

GENERAL INFORMATION
COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
ZONE

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
OIE-listed

EVENT ID
4247

DISEASE
Influenza A viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-)

CAUSAL AGENT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

GENOTYPE / SEROTYPE / SUBTYPE
H5N1

START DATE
2021/12/30

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
Recurrence of an eradicated disease

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE
2017/03/27

CONFIRMATION DATE
2022/01/13

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE
-

SELF-DECLARATION
NO

REPORT INFORMATION
REPORT NUMBER
Follow-up report 63

REPORT ID
FUR_160686

REPORT REFERENCE
-

REPORT DATE
2023/05/04

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT
-

EPIDEMIOLOGY
SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION
migratory waterfowl

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b was confirmed in a wild barn owl (Tyto alba). The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in conjunction with State Animal Health and Wildlife Officials, are conducting comprehensive epidemiological investigations and enhanced surveillance in response to the HPAI H5N1 related events in non-poultry species. Affected population counts are based on estimated inventories from the date the outbreak was first reported to WOAH. According to article 10.4.1.4 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Member Country should not impose bans on the international trade of poultry commodities in response to notification of infection with any Influenza A viruses in birds other than poultry. For updated information about HPAI testing of wild birds in the United States, see: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/our...enza/2022-hpai.
...
NEW OUTBREAKS

OB_117911 - SKAGIT COUNTY
OUTBREAK REFERENCE
-

START DATE
2022/12/12

END DATE
2022/12/31

DETAILED CHARACTERISATION
-

FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
Washington

SECOND ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
Skagit

THIRD ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
-

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL UNIT
Not applicable

LOCATION
Skagit County

Latitude, Longitude
48.418 , -122.337

(Approximate location)
OUTBREAKS IN CLUSTER
-

MEASURING UNIT
Animal

AFFECTED POPULATION DESCRIPTION
Wild barn owl (Tyto alba). Bird was found dead.

SpeciesSusceptibleCasesDeathsKilled and Disposed ofSlaughtered/ Killed for commercial useVaccinated
Barn Owl (Common Barn-Owl) (WILD)
Wild
NEW------
TOTAL------
...

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/4247

[sharon sanders]

Bird flu outbreak stokes fears for Washington’s wild birds

New strain of avian flu has killed dozens of birds on a small Puget Sound island. Cases have turned up elsewhere as well.

BY: LAUREL DEMKOVICH - AUGUST 15, 2023 2:40 PM


snip

Since July 1, the Department of Fish and Wildlife has collected more than 1,224 dead Caspian tern carcasses – most of which are adults – and more than 158 dead gull carcasses – most of which are chicks.

The long-term impacts of the Rat Island outbreak are “unknown,” Haman said. “I think time will tell.”


more... https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/08/...ns-wild-birds/

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...birds-removed/

WA officials warn of bird flu outbreak in state park; more than 1,700 dead birds removed
Sep. 1, 2023 at 9:41 pm
By Daisy Zavala Magaña
Seattle Times staff reporter

People should avoid contact with wild animals, given a deadly outbreak of avian influenza, known as bird flu, first noted in early July among birds and seals near Fort Flagler State Park in Jefferson County, health officials advised Friday evening.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff have removed over 1,700 dead Caspian terns and gulls on Rat Island, a wildlife preserve, and adjacent shores, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Officials have closed Rat Island due to the outbreak.

While preliminary tests indicate three harbor seals were also infected, final results are pending. Officials found Caspian terns infected with the bird flu along the lower Columbia River, the Port of Everett and Port of Tacoma, the health agency said...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/dep...O5YORNIHOK6ZM/

Department of Fish and Wildlife warns public of Lake Tye bird flu outbreak
By KIRO 7 News Staff
November 10, 2023 at 3:47 pm PST


MONROE, Wash. — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning the public of Cackling Geese that have been exposed to the bird flu at Lake Tye.

Officials say that they are continuing to monitor the situation while removing both sick and dead geese from the park.

On Nov. 5, the City of Monroe got reports from the WDFW that several Cackling Geese that had landed at Lake Tye Park were showing symptoms of bird flu.

The park has not been closed but WDFW is posting signs to inform the public...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/over-...n-monroe-park/


Over 70 geese have died of suspected bird flu in Monroe park
State officials said outbreaks of this size are common in fall. People can help by not feeding birds at Lake Tye.
by Ta'Leah Van Sistine
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 4:24pm


MONROE — An estimated 70 to 80 cackling geese have died since early November from suspected bird flu at Lake Tye Park, state officials said.

On Nov. 4, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife began receiving reports of infected cackling geese at the Monroe park. The city posted signs at the park about the infections, but hadn’t issued any closures as of this week....