Chicago Bird Flu Outbreak Leaves Hundreds of Ducks 'Sick or Dead'

Hundreds of ducks stricken by bird flu have been found in the Chicago area along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM), a volunteer-run conservation project, has warned that the outbreak poses a "serious threat" to local bird life. In January, a northern Illinois farm lost some 3,000 chickens to suspected bird flu. The virus has also been detected in a captive hawk in DuPage County, while Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo has lost both a flamingo and a seal to the disease. As the disease appears in more mammals—such as sea lions in South America and minks in Europe and China—experts fear that the virus is adapting to better infect this class, which also includes humans. At the moment, human infections remain rare. To date, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 67 human cases of bird flu, with one death resulting from the virus. Newsweek has contacted CBCM by email for further comment.

"Avian influenza (H5N1 bird flu) is posing a serious threat to the bird life in the Chicago region this winter," CBCM wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. At the start of the outbreak, the group explained, the virus was primarily confined to waterfowl, but the buildup of dead birds has since allowed the disease to spread to birds of prey—including eagles, hawks and owls—that have scavenged these remains. The latest species to fall victim appears to be a type of duck, the group added. It continued: "After hundreds of calls regarding geese, hawks and owls demonstrating symptoms of bird flu during the month of December, Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM) is now receiving reports of a huge number of sick or dead red-breasted mergansers being found in areas around the Lake Michigan shoreline. "These birds are grounded on beaches, yards, parking lots and sidewalks. They present with tremors and little ability to move." Other symptoms exhibited in afflicted birds include closed or clouded eyes, diarrhea, lack of balance and respiratory problems.

What to Do if You Find a Sick or Dead Bird

"You should avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, dairy cows, or other animals and observe them only from a distance," advised the DuPage County Health Department in a statement. "Infected birds and other animals can spread the virus through their mucus, saliva, or feces," it said, adding, "If you must have direct/close contact with sick or dead animals, wear personal protective equipment." The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has issued advice for the disposal of birds suspected to have died from avian influenza. "Rubber gloves and a mask should be worn when disposing of any deceased wild birds, and carcasses should be double-bagged in sealed plastic bags," the department said in a statement. Once bagged, the remains can be buried away from scavengers, it added, or placed in the garbage if such is approved by the local waste service provider. The department added, "Anyone handling deceased birds should thoroughly wash their hands and any other clothes or tools with soap and water after disposal." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about bird flu? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.