[Communications] {AUA} Bird Flu Present in Cook County

[Viviana]

Hello fellow advocates for urban agriculture, 
 In light of last week's reports on the presence in Cook County of Highly 
Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) also known as Bird Flu, or H5N1 virus, 
I'm sharing a few resources for understanding the risks, signs of illness 
and preventative methods, also known as biosecurity, for both domesticated 
and wild birds. 

   - Bird Flu is typically seasonal and timed with cold weather and wild 
   bird migrations.
   - USDA's Defend the Flock 
   <https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/defend-the-flock> program 
   offers resources in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and 
   Arabic on the signs of illness and how to protect domesticated birds.
   - This page from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
   <https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections> (APHIS) 
   offers detection announcements and a map of where the disease has been 
   documented throughout the US. 
      - Scrolling to the bottom of this page there are also links for 
      information on wild bird and other animal detections of the virus. 
   - The University of Arkansas provides a list of ways to keep birds safe  
   <https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/biosecurity/avian-flu/>
   from exposure. 
   - Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture also offers a number of biosecurity 
   tips  <https://www.healthyagriculture.org/>to prevent illness in birds 
   and other animals. 
   - If you keep birds or other farmed animals and have the unfortunate 
   experience of illness or sudden death of any of your flock, please be sure 
   to report it to our local USDA Vets.  Reporting animal illness and deaths 
   can help prevent the spread of the virus to other animals and mutations 
   that can affect humans. You can call or text USDA-APHIS local vet Dr. 
   Melchi at (217) 685-3879 and the state office at (217) 547-6030.

Thank you and take good care, 
Viviana

-- 
For more urban agriculture news, information and opportunities, visit AUA at http://auachicago.org/
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