Add another name to the list of mammal species infected with #H5N1#avianflu: alpacas.
It’s not surprising at this point but it certainly isn’t reassuring either that this virus just keeps spreading farther and wider…
"We say we don’t believe that there are cases of H5 novel influenza circulating because we haven’t seen any evidence that would be suggestive of that. But until and unless we enhance our subtyping...
👉 we are basing that conclusion on negative implication rather than on affirmative data,” Shah said in the interview.
When H5N1 goes off the rails as it almost certainly will in the not-too-distant future, who do you want to be in charge of the country?
Competent leaders and scientists or a clown show. Because this stuff is not a joke.
A new unreviewed preprint is ringing alarm bells about the possibility of human to human transmission coming from cows. (Similar to the problem with pigs.) It's not good.
With latest update from @USDA the total number of herds affected in the #H5N1#avianflu outbreak in the US is 49 herds in 9 states (without widespread testing mind you…)
8 of the last 12 confirmations are from herds in Michigan
Sitting with the fact that cattle industry has more power over whether humans in their employ get tested for #AvianFlu than #PublicHealth authorities do.
Hence #CDC preparing to launch wastewater dashboard for tracking spring and summer influenza surveillance...
To address absence of #BirdFlu testing. Taking a page out of the #CovidIsNotOver handbook of better too-late-to-be-actionable data than no data.
Because on Apr 12, just 10 days after CDC published "Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Animals: Interim Recommendations for Prevention, Monitoring, and Public Health Investigations" that said:
"...should avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure w/sick or dead birds or other animals, carcasses, feces,
milk
or litter from sick birds or other animals potentially infected or confirmed to be infected w/ HPAI A(#H5N1) virus."
@justyourluck If 20% of the US milk supply has #H5N1, then we've already effectively done the study, because we don't have a human #AvianFlu pandemic. We would, if it were possible for pasteurized milk to be a significant vector.
Also, we’ve known for decades that pasteurization effectively kills influenza viruses. Pasteurization degrades both the protein capsules protecting viruses and their genetic material. What is in milk after pasteurization are fragments, not whole viruses.
If you live in TX and you're not aware of H5N1 (Avian Flu), you really need to get it on your radar ASAP.
Due to various political/social factors in this state that I won't need to explain to anyone who lives here, it is quite likely that in the event this goes human to human this state will become an epicenter.
Also, anyone anywhere feeding their pets a raw diet, REALLY think about shifting that. This virus is transmitted through raw meat/dairy.
it makes me so impossibly sad to think that i may only have a couple years of seeing wild birds left with the way #avianFlu is going. but hey, the people have spoken: eating tortured chickens is priority number one, even if it drives an apocalyptic wildlife pandemic (and a human one, too!). healthy, delicious, climate-friendly alternatives be damned.
We're Watching The Elite Panic in Real Time
by Jessica Wildfire
"The #AvianFlu situation is evolving daily now. Farmers & ranchers are starting to show "bird flu-like symptoms," but they aren't getting tested. Nobody is forcing them, either. The USDA is inspecting ground beef, but only in states with outbreaks in dairy cows, & only because other countries started rejecting our beef. As one epidemiologist told Scientific American, "We don't have a good sense of the spread because testing is voluntary and certainly not being done in a systematic way."
Avian flu has been spreading for months in cattle, & none of our government institutions can tell us anything except, "Don't panic."
It's pathetic.
You can look at nuclear meltdowns, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, & pandemics. Almost every single time, government authorities rush out to calm down the population. They censor accurate information. They put most of their emphasis on protecting the assets of the rich***." https://www.okdoomer.io/were-watching-the-elite-panic-in-real-time/
One in five milk samples has bird flu virus fragments, suggesting cow Infections are far more widespread than originally thought.
Pasteurization kills the virus so you are safe if you consume pasteurized milk products. Raw milk products are not safe. You can get sick from them.
Another thing dad mentioned is bird flu outbreak farms had many dead cats. Looks like bird flu may be killing cats. #cat#catsofmastodon#BirdFlu#FDA#ARS Spread the word.
I can't find any online article with the cat deaths. What happened is the researchers were trying to find why the cows were sick. One noticed the farm cats weren't coming up to him like they had before. He found out they were dying. That lead to looking for bird flu.
This was published in the Apr 26, 2024 issues of the Ames Tribune. They likely listened into a recent talk given by the researchers at the local ARS Diagnostic Lab. #BirdFlu#AvianFlu
The mylar holographic bird scare flash tape that worked earlier in the year to deter bats & birds from roosting above front door frame no longer works. They got wise to my low cost renter’s solution. So I picked up 12” x 4” foam bricks, taped them together linearly, wrapped them in scare tape, and wedged them above the door frame. The clearance was 4”ish too so they simply hold in place without adhesive.No more opening door to mess & early morning jump scares. #physical#birds#deterrent
Bird tape-covered foam bricks have worked like a charm. I used to put a mask on to clean the bird & bat waste as I didn’t want to aerosolize any potential pathogens (ex #AvianFlu ). A simple physical barrier was the solution. Homeowner had suggested bird spikes, I had explained drawbacks. But they did not include a recent video of a crow removing bird spikes! LOL. https://youtu.be/_Bn9FONAkUA?feature=shared. Pigeons continue to make a mess on side yard. That is manageable (mask + hose).