Minnesota City Confirms HPAI Virus Detection, Assures Safe Water Supply
Seeing geese in fields or on lakes is a common sight as you drive through Minnesota, with these birds often gathered in large groups, adding to the beauty of the landscape.
However, encountering multiple dead geese in one area, whether on the ice or in a field, can be unsettling. This was recently the case around one Minnesota city, prompting local officials to investigate.
Something unusual has happened on our lakes recently, as you may have seen. The bodies of many geese can be seen on the ice. As we begin enjoying the ice as a community it’s important to be in the know about the details of this event.
Fairmont, Minnesota officials provided an update on the city's Facebook page, detailing their efforts in collaboration with the DNR to identify the cause of death for a number of geese recently found in the area.
"We have been in contact with the DNR who has tested three geese for a disease called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). They sent the laboratory one goose from Cottonwood, Jackson, and Martin Counties, all three samples tested positive for HPAI."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says, HPAI has been affecting both domestic and wild bird populations across the United States since 2021. While it is rare, this strain of HPAI can also infect mammals, including humans.
In the Facebook post, officials reassured residents about the safety of the town's water supply.
"It’s important to note that the City of Fairmont’s water treatment plant has the capacity to neutralize this virus and will continue supplying safe and clean drinking water to the community."
The city also addressed concerns over the appearance of the dead geese, saying: "We realize that the current visual of dead geese on the ice is unattractive, but in this instance, it is safer to leave the geese where they are."
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Gallery Credit: Carly Ross
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