# 2246
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has released a statement about the 4 swans found with avian influenza.
A Hat tip to Ironorehopper on Flutrackers for finding this link this quickly.
News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release:
August 21, 2008Contact:
Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402AVIAN INFLUENZA DETECTED IN SMALL NUMBER OF WILD MUTE SWANS IN RHODE ISLAND
Finding Poses No Significant Threat to Human Health, but Poultry Owners are Advised to Take Preventative Steps to Protect their Flocks
PROVIDENCE - A strain of avian influenza (bird flu) has been detected in a small number of mute swans collected from the Seekonk River during routine surveillance performed by the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish & Wildlife. The swans were caught near the Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, and subsequently tested by the USDA.
Four of the eleven birds were found to be infected with the H7N3 strain of the avian influenza virus. This is NOT the same strain that has infected people in Asia and Europe since 2003, and there is no known significant health risk to people as a result of exposure to this virus, nor any associated food safety concerns. Chicken and other poultry products are safe to eat.
This virus, while not a significant health risk to people, can be transmitted to other birds, and thereby represents a significant risk to other wild birds and domestic poultry flocks.
In response, DEM's Division of Agriculture will be performing increased surveillance of domestic poultry flocks within a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) radius of the location where the infected swans were found. The Massachusetts Department of Agriculture will do the same thing on their side of the border. DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife will also increase surveillance of wild waterfowl (swans, ducks, geese, etc.).
As a precaution, to protect their flocks, all poultry owners should employ standard biosecurity and sanitation practices. In particular, poultry owners should prevent their flocks from having any contact with wild birds.
H7N3, according to this study published in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, was isolated as the cause of mild influenza-like symptoms and conjunctivitis in two men from British Columbia in 2004, both poultry workers exposed during an outbreak of the disease.
