Chesterfield County, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Two cranes at the Metro Richmond Zoo are dead after they became sick with bird flu.
The zoo said these are the first positive tests of bird flu in its 30-year history. In a statement, officials said the cranes tested positive for H5 bird flu at a laboratory run by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) on Thursday, Jan. 16.
“The zoo is saddened by the loss of the cranes and our thoughts are with the zookeepers who cared for them," the statement reads. "Our animal care team remains committed to providing the best care for our animals. We are taking precautions to keep our animals, staff, and guests safe and healthy.”
The zoo said it’s taking precautions to ensure that animals, guests and staff remain safe and healthy. The budgie exhibit and walk-through aviary are temporarily closed “out of an abundance of caution,” but the rest of the zoo remains open.
“Since the risk to the public is low, the zoo will continue to operate normally during the multi-agency investigation,” officials said.
The public health risk in the United States is low for bird flu. There are currently no reports of bird flu infections in people in Virginia.
