Wild Fox In Anoka County Tests Positive For Bird Flu
Thu 5-12-2022
(St. Paul, MN)- The Minnesota D-N-R is reporting that a wild fox from Anoka County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. This is the first confirmed case of the bird flu in a wild mammal in Minnesota. The U of M veterinary lab alerted state wildlife officials and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the positive test from a fox baby this week. Two red fox kits in Ontario, Canada were the first wild mammals in North America to test positive last week. D-N-R officials plan to add avian influenza to the screening process when foxes are exhibiting neurological symptoms. HPAI has affected more than two-point-eight-million birds in Minnesota this year.