From Paul G Slota paul_slota@usgs.gov
The Fish and Wildlife Service recently requested that USGS provide some guidance, based on available information, about HPAI for personnel working with waterbirds and shore birds. There was particular concern about personnel working in Alaska and the west coast. We worked with CDC to develop these guidelines and sent them to back to FWS, CDC, USDA and others for review and comment. We are also providing the Bulletin to the State natural resource, parks, game and fish agencies on our distribution list for their consideration.
We also consulted the USGS Alaska Science Center and others on bird movements from Asia to Alaska this fall, and considered the likelihood that birds would be migrating from areas in Asia where HPAI has been detected. At this time HPAI has not been detected in North America (N.A.) and we are not aware of any data, or reports, that indicate that HPAI should be suspected of being in N.A., or that birds migrating from Asia to N.A. this fall are suspected of being infected with HPAI.
We understand that concern about HPAI varies greatly across the United States, but HPAI is being widely reported in the media and awareness among the public and conservation community is increasingly. Our intent is not to sound an alarms, but rather to take our best shot at providing some basic information and guidance for Agencies to use as they determine to be appropriate. We included routine guidelines for the general public and hunters that consist of basic health precautions, regardless of the disease.
In the event that HPAI is detected in N.A., we included sections for people handling birds in areas where the disease is suspected, and where it is actually detected. It seems prudent to address these situations before, rather than after it is detected. We will update our guidelines as new information becomes available.