Deadly avian flu detected in 3 Sacramento-area counties, California wildlife officials say
A strain of deadly avian flu has been detected in birds found in Amador, Sutter and Yuba counties, wildlife officials said this week, joining a majority of California counties having seen the pervasive disease in either wild birds, domesticated flocks or both.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife sent alerts regarding detection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to Sutter and Yuba counties on Dec. 6, and to Amador County on Monday.
Wildlife officials also detected H5N1 in wild birds in Del Norte County, according to an alert sent Tuesday.
The virus has been detected in 43 of California’s 58 counties, according to a map from state wildlife officials. Of those, it has been found only in wild birds in 32 counties, including Amador, Placer, Yolo, Sutter and Yuba; only in domestic birds in two counties, Calaveras and Tuolumne; and in both domestic and wild birds in nine counties, including Sacramento and El Dorado.
Large avian flu outbreaks have been reported this year in Fresno and Butte counties, the latter of which declared a local health emergency in August.
State wildlife officials said H5N1, a “highly contagious and often fatal disease in birds,” is widespread in California.
Those with domestic birds that are sick or have died under suspicious circumstances are asked to contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s sick bird hotline at 866-922-2473.
Those who notice unusual wild bird deaths are asked to report them to the Department of Fish and Wildlife online at www.wildlife.ca.gov.
