The first H5N1 bird flu infection in a San Mateo County backyard flock has been confirmed, prompting reminders for bird handlers to practice biosecurity measures. While no human infections have been linked to this case, it highlights the ongoing concerns about the virus's potential to mutate.
The confirmation of the first H5N1 bird flu infection in a backyard flock in San Mateo County on February 4, 2025, served as a stark reminder for human bird handlers to prioritize preventative biosecurity measures. These measures include basic practices like handwashing and shoe disinfection to minimize the spread of this highly contagious virus. This case was among 49 backyard flock infections documented across the United States by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, including 38 in California. While no human infections have been linked to this specific flock, the county's health department emphasized this as its first reported instance of backyard flock H5N1 since the initial outbreak of the avian virus in 2022. This incident prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to address the growing concern of the virus's potential to mutate into a strain transmissible among humans. The health department spokesperson highlighted the difficulty in determining the exact number of backyard flocks in the county and state due to the lack of registration requirements. Transmission of the H5N1 virus can occur through both direct and indirect contact with sick or deceased animals, their saliva, mucous, or feces, as well as contaminated surfaces such as hands, clothing, shoes, and the fur or feet of animals like rodents, cats, and dogs. Agricultural Commissioner Koren Widdel stressed the importance of simple biosecurity measures, such as washing hands before and after handling birds or eggs, and disinfecting footwear after being in areas with poultry. Anyone with sick or deceased birds or animals should contact a veterinarian or report the situation to CDFA's Sick Bird Hotline at (866) 922-BIRD (2473). County residents encountering injured, sick, or deceased wild birds or other wildlife can contact the Peninsula Humane Society at (650) 340-7022
BIRD FLU H5N1 BIOSECURITY SAN MATEO COUNTY AVIARY INFLUENZA
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