Bird flu detected in San Benito County, health officials said
SAN BENITO COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON DEC. 5, 2023 AT 6:16 PM: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said bird flu has been detected in close to 68,000 poultry in the United States as of late November 2023, some of them including in San Benito County.
The County has alerted people about the bird flu.
"Last night, my wife and I received texts from the San Benito County Emergency Management organization telling us to be aware of the Avian flu." said Louk Markham, who lives in Hollister.
The San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency said the recent bird flu outbreak was detected in the Northern part of San Benito County and it was mild, and the chances of people getting bird flu are minimal.
"The risk is pretty low," said Mallory Schmitt, Epidemiologist for San Benito County Public Health. "But that's also why, to be cautious, we tell people not to handle any dead birds if they find them."
Some symptoms to be on the look out if people encounter infected birds on the streets are signs of weakness, lack of coordination and respiratory disorder, according to public health experts.
And for people who live in Hollister, they're worried prices of eggs will go up.
"When I go to the grocery store, expect higher prices for eggs, if we can find eggs," Markham said.
Sick or dead birds can be reported to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. San Benito County Public Health Department said there are no human cases of bird flu.
Last year, however, the CDC reported that there was one human case of bird flu in the United States.
Original Story
The San Benito County Health and Human Services said that that cases of bird flu have been detected in poultry flocks in various counties including San Benito County.
Health officials is warning residents of the potential risk of getting into close contact with a diseased or dead bird.
The Centers for Disease Control for Prevention says the risk to general public's health from the virus is low.
The virus can be transmitted through bodily fluids such as respiratory droplets, saliva and feces. Transmission can occur directly from bird to bird through animals.
The CDC says if you develop symptoms within a 10 period, you are asked to contact your healthcare provider.
