Concern is rising in Oakland County where eleven individuals with direct exposure to a backyard flock infected with H5N1 bird flu are currently under surveillance. Two of these individuals have developed flu-like symptoms and are now isolated and undergoing testing to confirm if they indeed have contracted the virus, as reported by The Detroit News. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in what has been described as the second case in the county since its emergence in Michigan in the previous year.
As the community waits to learn to confirm whether these individuals indeed have the virus, Bill Mullan, spokesperson for Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, emphasized, "We've collected a flu test sample from one of the individuals already and we're going to collect the other individual's tomorrow," per an interview by The Detroit News. The nine other individuals are to be monitored for symptoms over 10 days.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has been tight-lipped about the details regarding the exact location and species of bird involved, citing statutory restrictions. Nonetheless, the disease's higher risk for people in close contact with affected animals has been stressed by state health officials. "If you own a backyard flock and your chickens are sick, most definitely keep your household pets away from those chickens," stated Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, as cited by the Detroit Free Press.
