Avian influenza found in South Carolina

[Folly's place]

Definitely time to keep your birds inside!!! So far only on the eastern flyway. So far.
Mary

 

[Dinogrrl]

Yeah my four have been in my garage for a while now and they are just sooooo happy about it but they'd REALLY be unhappy if they got sick so they're just going to have to deal with it for a couple more weeks.

 

[NanaK]

I realize ducks are 'wild birds' but I wonder if they have tested any robins, jays, finches, sparrows? Or wild turkeys?

 

[3KillerBs]

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...e-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai

This link shows all 90 confirmed cases from SC, NC, VA, and FL

Thanks for the link.

 

[NanaK]

So it seems dabbling ducks are the most susceptible, hence the testing of ducks.
Lots to read about surveillance methods they use and why.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...vian-influenza/defend-the-flock-ai-wild-birds

Curiosity gets the best of me so I do read a lot of the nerdy stuff. Sometimes too much, makes me worry.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...e-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai

This link shows all 90 confirmed cases from SC, NC, VA, and FL

Thank you for the link I hadn't been following, in the assumption that it was north of here, and AL (or, more likely, GA) would join the list first.

What's crazy is that the FL location is PALM BEACH COUNTY! That's basically Miami - so somehow, infected birds were either transported or flew the better part of 500 miles with no (known) intermediary infections... I assume GA is testing???

 

[NanaK]

Apparently, HPAI has not been reported in GA yet. I found this-

https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/l...cle_33b0fb65-6807-5ec6-944a-dbdb476911d8.html

According to this, it appears to me they are only looking in the Atlantic and Pacific flyways for AI.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_h...-bird-ai-surveillance-implementation-plan.pdf

I don't understand why, when they mention the mixing of birds in the southern and northern parts of the flyways???

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Apparently, HPAI has not been reported in GA yet. I found this-

https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/l...cle_33b0fb65-6807-5ec6-944a-dbdb476911d8.html

According to this, it appears to me they are only looking in the Atlantic and Pacific flyways for AI.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_h...-bird-ai-surveillance-implementation-plan.pdf

I don't understand why, when they mention the mixing of birds in the southern and northern parts of the flyways???

I can only assume that they believe the original infection occured in either the far eastern or a more southerly portion of the flyway, where fewer migratory paths overlap?

(Map from Ducks.org - given the number of waterfowl affected, it seemed an appropriate source)

 

[NanaK]

About a month ago I saw on BYC that it is quite rampant in Europe. I knew the US had an outbreak on the west coast several years ago so I got curious and started researching a bit and came across info on an incident on the Canadian east coast on 12-31-2021.

I have always enjoyed watching waterfowl at our coast (NC) and have spent a lot of time there so I knew a bit about the migration patterns so that really got my attention.

It seems that is the first KNOWN incident this time and seems to be a variant of the same strain in Europe now.

I found out here- https://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/Global_AIV_Zoonotic_Update/situation_update.html

I feel like there is a really good chance it's already all along the east coast and who knows where else and for how long.

 

[raingarden]

Apparently, HPAI has not been reported in GA yet. I found this-

Colleton County SC is only about fifty miles from the GA state line. Those wigeon hug the coast as they migrate up and down and they move further south in a colder winter. It hasn't been reported in GA but it's already there. Probably Florida too.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2022/hpai-sc