Salmonella outbreak in songbirds sickens 19 people in eight states, officials say

A salmonella outbreak among songbirds is linked to sickening 19 people in eight states, including Washington.

Six people in Washington, three in California and five in Oregon were among those sick with salmonella because of the outbreak among wild songbirds, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

At least eight people have been hospitalized with the illness, the CDC reported.

Wildlife officials in the Northwest first warned in January that finches and other songbirds around the state were likely dying from salmonellosis, McClatchy News reported. People in Washington reported seeing sick or dead songbirds at their feeders.

The disease likely spread because of “an anomaly where finches and other species that generally winter in the boreal forest in Canada and the far north move south and are spotted in areas in larger numbers than non-irruption years,” McClatchy News reported.

“When birds flock together in large numbers at feeders, they can transmit the disease through droppings and saliva,” Kristin Mansfield, a veterinarian with the department of fish and wildlife, said in a Jan. 8 news release.

Salmonella germs can spread between species, including to pets and people from the birds, the CDC said.

“You can get sick when you touch your mouth with unwashed hands after touching wild birds, bird feeders or bird baths, or your pets that have contact with wild birds,” the CDC said.

Officials urged people to remove their bird feeders and baths to help reduce the spread of the illness. It wasn’t until Thursday that officials in Washington said bird feeders can return to yards as reports of salmonella had dropped.

People who choose to put bird feeders outdoors should clean them outside and thoroughly disinfect the area afterward, the CDC said. Pets should stay away from the feeders and baths, and people should wash their hands with soap and water.

This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Salmonella outbreak in songbirds sickens 19 people in eight states, officials say."