COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Scientists say a duck killed by a hunter in South Carolina had a contagious and dangerous bird flu not seen in the wild in the U.S. in five years.
Officials say the Eurasian H5 avian influenza poses a low risk to people, but can spread quickly through chicken houses and other poultry businesses.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture alerted global health officials. Scattered bird flu infections have been detected in 2022 from Portugal to Bulgaria and in December, two cases were reported in eastern Canada..
Scientists say anyone who has poultry, including backyard farmers, needs to review their practices to keep birds safe from disease.
