Eleven more marine mammals have been tested and confirmed to have H5N1 avian flu in an outbreak that spans four counties in California. The outbreak total now stands at 58 mammals, including 57sea lions and one otter. All but seven are from San Mateo County.
The outbreak started in February and marked the first H5N1 detection in marine mammals in California. Seals at the state park were observed with abnormal respirations, tremors, and neurologic symptoms.
Commercial detections dropping in April
In other avian flu news, four commercial poultry facilities, one each in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Georgia have reported new avian flu outbreaks. The outbreak in Minnesota’s Big Stone County involves 62,900 birds on a commercial turkey farm.
Commercial poultry detections have slowed this month compared with March, with 28 confirmed outbreaks in 20 commercial and eight backyard flocks. Roughly 700,000 birds have been affected in the past 30 days.
Wild bird detections have also dropped, with 13 notices from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the past 10 days.
Of note, three Bald Eagles in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New York were confirmed to have the virus, as were four birds (gulls and a Red-necked phalarope) from San Mateo County, California, the same county with marine mammal detections.
