Zoo animals and Two California house cats die from bird flu as three more appear to be infected

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/19/california-cat-bird-flu-death

Two California house cats die from bird flu as three more appear to be infected

Los Angeles health officials investigate new cases after felines who had consumed raw milk found with H5 virus

Edward Helmore
Thu 19 Dec 2024 09.08 EST

Health officials in Los Angeles are investigating three household cats presumed to have bird flu, as officials confirmed the disease in two other cats who drank recalled raw milk and died.

The Los Angeles county department of public health confirmed two fatal cases of H5 bird flu in cats on Wednesday. The two felines had consumed raw milk linked to Raw Farm, a dairy in Fresno, California, that was subject to a recall of raw milk and cream products last month.

The two cats initially showed a lack of appetite, fever and neurologic signs. As their symptoms worsened, they tested positive for influenza A, a rare result in cats, that was later confirmed as H5 bird flu.

The three cats who may also now be infected with bird flu all lived in the same household, according to authorities. Humans who came into contact with the animals are now being monitored for symptoms. Cats are considered highly susceptible to bird flu.

At a Texas dairy earlier this year, 12 barn cats died after drinking infected raw milk.

But the three sick cats in Los Angeles are not known to have consumed raw milk and other sources of infection, including raw meat, are being investigated. The alert noted that cats are known to have transmitted another influenza strain to humans, but there have been no known cases to date of H5 bird flu transmitted from cats to humans.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/19/bird-flu-zoos-endangered-animals-captive-species-lions-tigers-cheetahs-virus

Bird flu sweeps through zoos with ‘grave implications’ for endangered animals

Call for additional precautions as captive species including lions, tigers and cheetahs are killed by virus

The age of extinction is supported by
theguardian.org

Phoebe Weston
Thu 19 Dec 2024 07.00 EST

Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered species, researchers have warned.

As a growing number of zoos report animal deaths, scientists are concerned that infected wild birds landing in enclosures could be spreading it among captive animals. In the US, a cheetah, mountain lion, Indian goose and kookaburra were among the animals that died in Wildlife World Zoo near Phoenix, according to local media reports last week. San Francisco Zoo temporarily closed its aviaries after a wild red-shouldered hawk was found dead on its grounds, and later tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV). A rare red-breasted goose died at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, causing aviaries to close and penguin feeding for visitors to be suspended in November. These cases follow the deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther in zoos across south Vietnam over the summer.

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(Remember the start of COVID. What? What? Head scratching etc.)