The best way to protect yourself and your family from H5N1 is to avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected of being infected with bird flu viruses. Image by Jürgen from Pixabay

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The Butte County Department of Public Health (BCPH) received notification last month from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) of a bird flu (H5N1) infection in a commercial upland game bird farm in Butte County.

Upland game birds are non-waterfowl birds that live in heavy ground cover and are often hunted for game. The Butte County Department of Public Health wants bird hunters and those who might be exposed to upland birds to be aware of the potential for H5N1 exposure and take steps to protect themselves, hunting dogs and falconry birds.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) notified the farm on Dec. 31 about the birds that tested positive for bird flu and required the farm to immediately stop all sales of birds.

According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the farm does not sell birds to the general public; they breed birds to sell to hunting clubs. The Butte County Department of Public Health worked with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Public Health to confirm that local hunting clubs that might have recently purchased birds from this farm have been notified.

While the general public's health risk is low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows or have recreational exposure, such as hunting, are at higher risk. To date, there have been no reported human H5N1 bird flu cases among Butte County residents.

The best way to protect yourself and your family from H5N1 is to avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected of being infected with bird flu viruses.

It remains safe to enjoy poultry and dairy products. As a reminder, residents should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F. There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully kill bacteria and viruses, such as influenza, in milk.

Safety recommendations for upland bird and waterfowl hunters:

Harvest only waterfowl that look and behave healthy. Do not handle or eat sick game. Do not handle wild birds that are visually sick or found dead.

Field dress and prepare game outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

Wear rubber gloves or other impermeable disposable gloves while handling and cleaning game.

Remove and discard intestines soon after harvesting and avoid direct contact with intestinal contents. Place waste in a plastic bag and dispose in a garbage container that is protected from scavengers.

Do not eat, drink, smoke or vape while handling dead game.

When done handling game, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water (or alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable), and clean knives, equipment and surfaces that came in contact with game. Wash hands before and after handling any meat.

Thoroughly cook all game to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming.

Clean and disinfect clothing, footwear and hunting gear before traveling to other areas. As appropriate, footwear and gear can be washed with soap and water, then disinfected in household bleach diluted 1:10 with water for at least 10 minutes.

Bathe dogs with pet shampoo after hunting outings and do not feed dogs raw meat, organs or other tissues from harvested waterfowl.

Falconers should avoid hunting waterfowl and other waterbirds during the HPAI outbreak.