Hawk Tests Positive for Avian Influenza in Effingham County

Effingham County Health Department received notice on Friday that a hawk collected in Effingham County tested positive for avian influenza A (H5).

The bird was collected on Tuesday in Effingham and submitted for testing at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing sporadic outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers. People rarely get bird flu, but when they do, it’s most often through direct, unprotected contact with infected animals. While the current public health risk is low, Effingham County Health Department is monitoring the situation carefully and working with local and state partners to assess and respond to exposure risks between people and the affected animal.

As a general precaution, people should avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe wild birds only from a distance, whenever possible. The public is reminded to not handle or attempt to capture waterfowl or other wild birds displaying signs of illness. To learn more about how you can keep yourself, loved ones, and pets healthy, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/about/index.html