Do bird migration routes through Montana increase our risk of avian influenza?
A. Scientists don’t fully understand the role of migratory birds in the spread of avian influenza. At this time, no evidence of the HPAI H5N1 avian flu has been discovered in the Western Hemisphere . However, recent evidence suggests that migratory birds are spreading the H5N1 virus, and further spread is expected. Keep in mind, though, that at this time the avian influenza remains a disease primarily of birds rather than humans.
