Texas health officials are warning of a highly contagious and potentially deadly H5 bird flu outbreak. The state warns that cats and other animals can be highly susceptible to getting the avian influenza virus.
The highly contagious bird flu, which transmits easily among wild and domestic birds, has now been detected in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). While avian influenza is endemic, meaning it occurs regularly, wildlife officials say they’ve seen cases earlier this year, so they want you to be on alert.
Millions of birds have already been culled as a way to prevent the bird flu from spreading, and it’s still going around. Accoridng to local media outlet KHOU 11, while human cases are rare, bird flu can spread directly between animals and indirectly through environmental contamination. Some animals — including domestic cats, dairy cows, skunks, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, and mountain lions — are highly susceptible.
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The TPWD offered tips to help stop the spread of bird flu in Texas.
- Limit unnecessary contact with wild birds.
- Bird feeders and water sources should be cleaned at least every two weeks with a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water.
- Change water in birdbaths every few days and regularly remove wet feed and seed from feed and water sources.
- Discourage the congregation of waterfowl around food, water sources, and backyard flocks.
None of this means that bird flu will be worse or better than it has been. It could be just a little bit of fear-mongering by the media. It could also be a little of a buildup to the bird flu vaccine, which is currently being tested on monk seals in Hawaii.
According to a report by The New York Times, the monk seal is an endangered species and faces numerous threats, including that of avian influenza.
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