The Hawaii Department of Health yesterday said it is investigating possible sources of H5 avian influenza virus that turned up for the first time in wastewater sampling.
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In a statement, the department said the positive finding occurred in samples collected at a site in Oahu on November 7.
Hawaii is the only US state that hasn't reported H5N1 avian flu in birds or animals. The state hasn't reported any recent detections in animals or people.
Limitations of wastewater sampling
Wastewater sampling can't determine if the virus is highly pathogenic or if the source was from an animal or a person.
Health officials said H5 monitoring serves as a signal to allow health officials to explore if the detection is related to H5N1 and to bolster protective measures, especially in people who are at increased risk of exposure.
The health department said the risk to Hawaii residents remains low, but it encouraged people to take safety steps such as avoiding wild birds, animals, or livestock that are sick or dead, reporting sick pets or unusual animal deaths to veterinarians, and avoiding raw milk.