Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE -- A bird flu virus strain has been found in four mute swans collected from the Seekonk River -- near the Swan Point Cemetery -- as part of routine state Department of Environmental Management surveillance.

While the DEM says the strain is not harmful to humans, it is suggesting that all poultry owners should have their flocks tested.

Tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture detected that the swans, part of a sample of 11 birds, were infected with the H7N3 strain of avian influenza virus.

But the DEM emphasized in a news release today that it not the same strain that has infected people in Asia and Europe since 2003, known as H5N1, and there is no known significant health risk to people who are exposed to this strain of the virus.

There are no associated food safety concerns either, the DEM said. Chicken and other poultry products are safe to eat.

However, the virus can be transmitted to other birds and poses a significant risk to other wild birds and domestic poultry flocks. So DEM's Division of Agriculture will increase surveillance of domestic poultry flocks within a 6.2-mile radius of where the infected swans were found.

The Massachusetts Department of Agriculture will do the same in the Bay State. Rhode Island DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife will also increase surveillance of wild waterfowl (swans, ducks, geese, and others).

Every year, State Veterinarian Scott Marshall at the state's Department of Environmental Management said today, a single duck or bird tests positive for this flu. But this year, several birds tested positive for the virus.

"That's what we find a little more alarming," he said.

As a precaution, the DEM said, all poultry owners, to protect their flocks, should carry out standard biosecurity and sanitation practices. Poultry owners should prevent their flocks from contact with wild birds.

Relative to other states, however, Rhode Island has a very small number of large-scale poultry operations, according to Marshall.

The state has one large producer of game birds; three "layer houses," to produce eggs; one large broiler producer -- chickens that are sold to be eaten; one turkey operation; and a few, smaller backyard operations, according to Marshall. The largest number of domesticated birds is about 35,000, in Foster, he said.

That's on the opposite side of the state from where the flu cases were found.

"If this is going to happen," he said of the bird infection, "it's in a relatively safe place."

-- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie Jefferson

 Tags  DEM Providence

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.