Report dead birds – but touch with caution

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre wants the public to report any sightings of sick or dead birds to the centre at 1-866-544-4744 or http://wildlife1.usask.ca.

In Nunavik, residents can also call the Nunavik Research Centre at 1-877-625-4845 or Nunavik’s public health department at 819-962-2222, ext. 235.

A Canada-wide survey of dead birds in underway and Information from this survey will help better understand the influenza viruses in bird populations, says the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Centre.

News releases from the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Centre and Makivik Corporation note viruses in wild birds usually pose low risks to human health and no cases of bird flu have yet been detected in Nunavik or anywhere else in Canada.

Avian cholera has, however, been found in Nunavik. This summer, the centre, along with the Nunavik Research Centre, investigated a die-off of eider ducks on some Ungava Bay islands near Kangiqsujuaq, Kangirsuk, Quaqtaq and Aupaluk, which died of avian cholera.

This illness caused a similar die-off of eiders near Ivujivik in 2004.

Wildlife and public health officials did not recommend a clean-up of these islands due to the extent of the outbreak, the risk of transmission to other areas and the risk of disease from other germs encountered when coming into contact with dead birds.

Public health officials recommend the following when handling dead birds or down:

Avoid handling dead birds and use gloves if a carcass has to moved;
Wear gloves to collect down;
Clean down away from food or drinking water, after it has been dried and exposed to light, and wash up afterwards;
Teach children to report, but not touch, any sick or dead birds they find;
Cook all birds well and wash up afterwards.

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