ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.–The sixth case of bird flu found in the state of Missouri this spring is the first case in St. Louis County, the health department announced Wednesday.
Authorities say a “presumptive positive” case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was discovered in a wild bird in St. Louis County. The county health department said bird-to-human transmission is rare, and that the four people who came into contact with the animal were monitored for symptoms and released, with no signs of illness.
Signs of symptoms in birds include tremors, head tilting, and trouble flying or walking.
In a news release, Dr. Faisal Khan, Acting Director of the St. Louis County Health Department underscored the importance of not handling sick or dead birds and reporting both to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Numbers to call:
For wild birds: St. Louis Regional Office of the Missouri Department of Conservation at (636) 441-4554.
For domestic birds: Animal Health Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture at (573) 751-3377.
Flu-like symptoms after exposure to a bird with unusual symptoms: St. Louis County Health Department at 314-615-7677.