Public Health monitoring Palau chicken deaths

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Public Health continues monitoring the situation in Palau involving hundreds of chickens that died and an outbreak of flu like symptoms amongst residents. According to our local agency,  there's no evidence to suggest that the illnesses among chickens and humans in Palau are the result of an avian influenza subtype. Its also believed their illnesses are unrelated.  Based on available lab tests its likely Palau is experiencing a seasonal outbreak  of the flu. Additional testing to determine the characterization of the influenza virus circulating in Palau will be done at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.