Avian flu detected in Maricopa County wastewater

PHOENIX — Avian flu has been detected in local wastewater, according to Maricopa County officials. The Maricopa County Department of Public Health say the virus was detected during routine wastewater surveillance in the county. They add that the H5N1 virus that is associated with bird flu was detected in all three cities in the county that conduct wastewater testing.

Those three cities are Phoenix, Tempe, and Surprise. No human cases of bird flu have been detected in the county, and public health officials say the risk to the general public remains low. The news comes just weeks after five animals died of the bird flu at the Wildlife World Zoo in the West Valley, and two wild birds were discovered to have the avian flu at a Scottsdale park.



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