The CDC has a new Salmonella warning for these 8 states

As the pandemic approaches a disturbing fourth wave, all eyes are on COVID case counts – so it is not surprising that public health warnings on a smaller scale have recently gone unnoticed. On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a research notice on another health hazard that has recently emerged: an outbreak of Salmonella currently affecting eight states from coast to coast. Read on to find out which states are affected and for another CDC health update, see The CDC says don’t wait any longer to get your second dose of COVID.

The CDC explains that this specific outbreak is considered to be zoonotic, which means that the cases were associated with a common animal origin. The animal causing all the chaos? Wild songbirds known as pine siskins, a member of the finch family with “small, striped, yellow-dyed feathers.”

A report by the California Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (CDFW) states that, since December, “wildlife rehabilitation centers have been inundated with calls from residents who find finches sick or killed in bird feeders.” In addition, “the CDFW Wildlife Research Laboratory evaluated birds from various locations and determined that the cause of the disease is Salmonellosis, a disease caused by the Salmonella bacteria.”

The report further explains that when large groups of baby pine trees gather – especially around human-made bird feeders – they can quickly spread the disease among them. Most infected birds die within 24 hours of being infected with Salmonella, but they can transmit the disease to humans, pets or other species of birds during this time, or even after their death.

For this reason, the CDC recommends taking certain precautions in case you are exposed to wild birds. They suggest regular and careful cleaning of all outdoor bird feeders with water, soap and bleach solution, but emphasize that this should be done away from areas where food is prepared or stored to avoid contamination. Never feed a bird with your hands, they say, and apply improved hand washing measures if you have been in contact with birds, places where birds flock or their faeces. Finally, they recommend contacting your doctor if you experience any symptoms of Salmonella infection.

Do you want to know if your condition was affected by the outbreak? Read on to find out which eight states are currently in the hot seat and for breaking news about another Salmonella outbreak, check the FDA just issued a Salmonella alert for this popular grocery item.

Read the original article at Better life.