By Guy Page
The Vermont Department of Health and state wildlife and farm experts are working together to “monitor and investigate reports” of the highly-contagious avian flu HPAI in Vermont, Commissioner Mark Levine announced today at the governor’s press conference.
Avian flu has been found in both backyard flocks and wild birds in Vermont, Levine said. One strain of avian flu is “overtaking the Finger Lakes and all of Central New York,” Levine said. Vermont’s incidence of avian flu is likely to increase in coming weeks, he said.
The Dept. of Health is monitoring people who have been exposed to sick birds, including those wearing PPE (protective clothing, gloves and and masks), Levine said.
“The public health risk is low,” Levine said. HPAI is not a new virus, he added. More than 2500 human exposures to HPAI have been monitored nationwide; only one possible human case has been found to date, he said.