Mower County warns of possible avian flu in the area; dead birds found along Cedar River
Courtesy of Mower County Health and Human Services
(ABC 6 News) – Officials in Mower County are warning locals to be careful around dead birds after an alarming sight along the Cedar River.
Earlier this week, the Cedar River Watershed District received a photo from an Austin resident showing two dead adult geese along the Cedar River shoreline at Austin Mill Pond. CRWD then alerted Mower County Public Health and the Austin Parks & Recreation Department.
If you see a group of dead birds or animals in Mower County, you should report it to MCPH at 507-437-9701.
In a statement, Community Health supervisor for Mower County Health and Human Services Sally Garry said “While the risk continues to remain low to the public, surveillance of infectious agents, such as avian influenza, is a foundational duty of public health to keep our community safe and healthy.”
County public health has been monitoring bird flu since last summer. This Spring, the county and the city of Austin will post “Health Alert” signs in Austin and Mower County related to bird flu at locations with a high presence of wild waterfowl. The signs will advise against touching dead birds, and provides contact information for reporting possible cases of bird flu.
Other actions taken by the county in response to bird flu include:
- Developing educational campaigns about public health issues and trends and promoting them weekly on Mower County’s Health and Human Services Facebook page.
- Creating a monitoring system that reports to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
- Producing “response kits” that have all recommended personal protective equipment to safely remove dead birds from local parks.