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5 animals die after bird flu exposure at Arizona zoo; 25 employees exposed to virus
Bird flu’s ‘low risk’ to public, experts say. Here’s how to avoid it.
Despite a number of farm workers catching bird flu across the U.S., experts say there’s low risk to the general public with a few exceptions.
Officials in Arizona this week said nearly a half-dozen animals including a cheetah and a mountain lion at a Phoenix-area zoo died and others are sick after being exposed to the bird flu.
Maricopa County Department of Public Health officials reported the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium in Litchfield Park, about 20 miles west of Phoenix, transported the ill animals to the Arizona Department of Agriculture to conduct testing that indicated they were likely exposed to avian influenza, a viral disease that mainly impacts birds.
Two big cats and three large birds − a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, a kookaburra and an Indian goose − died after contracting the virus, Jolene Westerling of the Wildlife World Zoo told USA TODAY Friday.
A white tiger also tested positive, but it appeared to be responding to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery, Westerling confirmed.
The county health department, according to a press release updated Thursday, said it was working with the zoo to identify and contact staff and volunteers who are considered to be at higher risk from close or prolonged contact with infected animals.
“While we are deeply saddened to report the loss of a few cherished animals, we are grateful that the impact was limited thanks to our swift response, robust biosecurity protocols, and the invaluable support of Maricopa County Department of Public Health and state and federal agencies,” Wildlife World Zoo President Kristy Hayden said in the release.
The infection at the zoo marked the third time bird flu infected animals in Arizona, and the second instance in Maricopa County, the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network reported. The other incident in the state took place at a commercial farm in Pinal County, about 100 miles southeast of the zoo.
Additionally, on Wednesday health officials in the northeast part of the state said wastewater tested positive for the virus in Coconino County, about 190 miles northeast of the zoo.
25 zoo employees exposed to bird flu in Arizona
In addition to the animals, Westerling confirmed 25 employees were exposed to the infected animals and were are being monitored for symptoms. As of Friday, no employees had tested positive, the zoo spokesperson said.
Despite reports of both animals and people catching bird flu across the U.S., the risk to the public remains low, the Centers for Disease Control has said. Experts say there’s low risk to the general public with a few exceptions.
Historically, the virus − which has been around for decades, has mostly affected farmed poultry.
Although human infections in the United States have been rare, according to the CDC, bird flu has infected 60 people since April.
What is bird flu?
Bird flu is a disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted among birds.
Avian influenza viruses, according to the CDC and USDA, are classified into two groups: low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) (often seen in wild birds) and HPAI, found mostly in domestic poultry. According to the CDC, LPAI viruses cause mild or no disease, and HPAI cause severe disease and high mortality rates in infected birds.
Bird flu cost the government at least $660 million by Feb. 2023, the Associated Press reported at the time, and has raised the price of eggs and poultry. Tens of millions of birds have been slaughtered to limit the spread of the virus.
What are symptoms of bird flu in humans?
Symptoms of bird flu in humans include, according to the CDC:
- Eye redness (conjunctivitis)
- Mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms
- Pneumonia requiring hospitalization
- Fever (temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater) or feeling symptoms of a fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuff nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
How to prevent the spread of bird flu
Avoiding exposure in the first place is the most effective way to stop the spread, says the CDC:
- Avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe wild birds only from a distance, whenever possible.
- Avoid contact between pets (e.g., pet birds, dogs and cats) with wild birds.
- Don’t touch sick or dead birds, their feces or litter or any surface or water source (e.g., ponds, waterers, buckets, pans, troughs) that might be contaminated with their saliva, feces, or any other bodily fluids without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes after contact with birds or surfaces that may be contaminated with saliva, mucous, or feces from wild or domestic birds.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after touching birds or other sick animals.
- Change your clothes after contact with wild birds, poultry and sick animals.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Mary Walrath-Holdridge
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
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