Avian Influenza Precautions

The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc is reminding residents to avoid handling wild birds or bird droppings and to take simple precautions to reduce the risk of avian influenza. While avian flu has been detected in Strathroy-Caradoc, there have been no human cases linked to exposure to wild birds.

• Residents are advised to keep themselves and their pets away from wild birds, including geese, and from areas with bird droppings. If you encounter a wild bird that is sick, injured, or dead, do not touch it.
  
  
• If the bird is on public property, please contact the Municipality at 519-245-1105
  
  
• Sick or dead birds can also be reported to the Ontario Regional Centre of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 1-866-673-4781 or online.

About Avian Influenza 

Avian influenza is a type of influenza A virus which is mainly found in wild birds. Avian influenza can also infect domestic and commercial poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, and less commonly, mammals, including dairy cattle. Human infections with avian influenza are rare. If people do become infected, it is usually because they have had close contact with infected poultry or other animals or their environment. Symptoms can include fever, body aches, cough, sore throat, red eyes, breathing problems and sometimes, diarrhea and vomiting. Avian influenza does not spread easily from person to person. 

Avian influenza A (H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b was first detected in Canada in 2021 and continues to circulate worldwide with ongoing detections in various wild, domestic and backyard bird populations, and the virus has also been detected in various wild and domestic mammalian species. (Source: Public Heath Ontario)