Because of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), our local wildlife rehabilitation center, St. Francis Wildlife, temporarily will not accept injured, orphaned or sick wild birds. HPAI has just been confirmed in a duck that was brought to St. Francis Wildlife in Quincy, Florida.

Confirmed and presumptive cases of HPAI have recently been documented along the East Coast of Florida from Palm Beach County to Duval County and on the West Coast in Charlotte County.

Infected birds have been aquatic species (ducks, gulls, herons, terns and pelicans), raptors (great horned owls and bald eagles) and scavengers (vultures). Birds on their northern spring migration may have carried the virus into our area.

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Last year, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza traveled from Europe into Canada. Then migratory waterfowl carried it down the Atlantic Flyway, infecting birds along the way.

An unprecedented outbreak

Two months ago, on Jan. 22, when a hunter showed up at a boat ramp in Palm Beach County with two blue-winged teal ducks, a USDA-Wildlife Services employee swabbed them. No one suspected the birds were sick; it was just routine surveillance. Their tests were positive for HPAI.

In February, dozens of dead lesser scaup ducks and other aquatic species, as well as birds that scarfed up those free meals — black vultures, bald eagles and great horned owls — were identified along Florida’s east coast and in Charlotte County with this extremely infectious new bird flu. It was reported that wildlife officials suspect there are “hundreds more” unconfirmed cases.

Some infected birds may be asymptomatic while others appear lethargic or show neurologic symptoms such as circling, tremors and seizures. Often birds are found dead with no signs of trauma or other causes.

This current outbreak of HPAI in Florida’s wild birds is unprecedented. And also extremely unsettling for Florida’s wildlife rehabilitators who care for thousands of injured, orphaned and sick wild animals every year but never experienced anything like this.

Case confirmed in Tallahassee duck

On Feb. 25, a woman on her morning commute to work noticed a duck in the middle of Georgia Street in Tallahassee. She stopped to check on it. Apparently injured, it did not fly away.

She was able to capture it and take it to nearby Northwood Animal Hospital. St. Francis Wildlife picked it up from there; admitted the bird, a lesser scaup, to our wildlife hospital; and began treatment for its injured leg.

When we were alerted that migratory birds may be carrying the very contagious virus as they flew back to their summer breeding territory — and we were on a flyway, our wildlife rehabilitator swabbed the duck and sent the sample to a Florida lab.

St. Francis is temporarily not accepting wild birds 

Because HPAI is highly contagious and untreatable, St. Francis Wildlife and our two Tallahassee veterinary partners, Northwood and Allied Veterinary Hospitals, are temporarily not accepting any wild birds.

In 44 years, we’ve never turned away an injured, orphaned or sick wild animal, so we are deeply upset to be unable to help local birds in need at this time. But we must do all we can to help control this serious outbreak.

If you find a wild bird in need of assistance, call FWC Dispatch: 850-245-7716 or FWC 24-hour hotline: 888-404-3922. To prevent the spread of HPAI, do not handle a sick or dead bird, keep pets away and report it to FWC immediately so it can be tested for HPAI. Visit app.myfwc.com/FWRI/AvianMortality/.

This virus can spread through direct contact with infected birds or a contaminated surface, on which it can remain active for a long time.

All current avian patients at St. Francis Wildlife are being tested, every surface is being disinfected and protocols for dealing with this first-of-its-kind outbreak in Florida are being prepared with the assistance of state and national wildlife experts.

People who keep domestic birds

This virus, which is shed through all excretions (saliva, nasal secretions and feces), is highly transmissible to domestic chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc. and is often fatal.

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends keeping birds indoors or in sheltered enclosures if HPAI is identified in your area. Locate songbird feeders away from chickens and pet birds.

People who maintain bird feeders

HPAI is not easily transmissible from birds to people, and, to date, there have been no known human infections in North America. Songbirds are generally at lower risk for hosting avian influenza; however, it is still possible that they could carry and/or transmit this pathogen.

To help prevent the spread of this virus, people who feed birds should follow common-sense precautions:

• Clean and disinfect bird feeders and baths every week with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach, rinse well and dry before refilling.
• Wear disposable gloves while cleaning and then wash your wash hands with soap and water.

Wild mammals and reptiles

St. Francis Wildlife and our two veterinary partners in Tallahassee (Northwood and Allied Animal Hospitals) will continue to accept mammal and reptile species, although Northwood no longer accepts Rabies Vector Species (RVS) such as raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats.

If you find an RVS, please do not handle it; call St. Francis Wildlife at 850-627-4151. Florida’s squirrels, opossums and rabbits are rarely rabies vectors.

What to do if you find a bird

If you find a wild bird in need of assistance, call FWC Dispatch: 850-245-7716 or FWC 24-hour hotline: 888-404-3922. To prevent the spread of HPAI, do not handle a sick or dead bird, keep pets away and report it to FWC immediately so it can be tested for HPAI. Visit app.myfwc.com/FWRI/AvianMortality/.

For updates on this developing situation as well as general information about what to do if you find wildlife in need, please check the St. Francis Wildlife website, stfranciswildlife.org, our Facebook page, facebook.com/Wildlife.Matters.to.Florida and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Avian Influenza page, myfwc.com/research/wildlife/health/avian/influenza.

Sandy Beck is the education director for St. Francis Wildlife. Contact her at [email protected].

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Gardening in November can seem like a dull task ,with the cold wet weather leaving many Brits seeking refuge in our warm homes. While we may not have the weather to enjoy outside, leading ‘no dig’ gardening expert, Stephanie Hafferty says there is an abundance of foods and florals to gather from your garden right through the month. Express.co.uk spoke to the gardening experts to find out exactly what’s in season and how to give struggling crops a boost before winter.

What foods are seasonal in November?

If you’re already thinking about Christmas, you’re in luck when it comes to the November harvest.

Winter greens and roast dinner regulars are in season this month so it’s time to get out and see what’s ripe in your garden.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, leading ‘no dig’ gardening expert Stephanie Hafferty said: “November is surprisingly abundant, there’s so much you can harvest including parsnips, chard and winter brassicas like kale, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.”

With rumoured supply shortages of Christmas vegetables, there’s no better time to head out in the garden and savour those winter crops – you could head down to your local farm shop if you haven’t grown your own this year to support local producers.

READ MORE: Alan Titchmarsh shares how to ‘perk’ up lawn bald patches – video

How to fix failing crops

Cold-weather crops can suffer from stunted growth where they may not be dying, but they also fail to grow.

Stephanie advised: “The best way to boost crops in the autumn is to add a compost mulch on the surface.

“Just a couple of centimetres is fine, and leave on the surface for the soil life to gradually incorporate.

“This will feed crops for a whole year. Alternatively, make a liquid feed from comfrey and nettles, or buy a seaweed feed.”

It’s not unusual for crops to struggle at this time of year, says Skye – head gardener at Links House at Royal Dornoch.

The bleak British weather can make for tough conditions for crops to thrive in our gardens.

Skye added: “If you have been growing hardy vegetables such as kale, chard, leeks, carrots and Brussels sprouts, cover them with a fleece to protect them in the coldest months.

“This will give your crops a better chance to thrive in the harshest conditions and will be ready to harvest though the winter.”

If you haven’t already, now is the time to plant out bulbs to allow them to overwinter.

Skye recommends planting garlic bulbs out, mulching and covering in order to enjoy fresh garlic in the summer.

What will you be making with your November crops? Let us know in the comments below.

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A gardening and plants expert has discussed how to keep your house plants alive and healthy during winter. Anna Eklöv is the founder of an online florist called LÖV Flowers. 

LÖV provides services from letterbox flowers and bespoke hand tied bouquets to wedding and event flowers, inspired by chic Scandinavian design.

Founder Anna is an expert is all things plants and flowers.

She told Express.co.uk: “The ideal temperature for indoor houseplants is between 15 and 23 degrees.”

So, keeping that thermostat on will be beneficial to your plants.

A well insulated room is the best kind of place to keep your plants, Anna said.

READ MORE: Lynsey Crombie: Queen of Clean’s best time of day for cleaning – ‘it really is very true’

How to care for house plants in winter

Water less

Most houseplants need less water during winter, as they grow at a slower rate.

Overwatering could lead to roots rotting, so be cautious.

Keep it humid

Plants like humidity, generally. Raise the humitidy around your plants to help them stay healthy in the winter.

Or, you could store your plants in a well list bathroom.

Turn your plants

Everytime you water your plants turn them a quarter clockwise, so they each part of the plant can get sun.

An expert has shared an “old-age” test to check if your plants need water. 

Silver is the CEO of independent houseplant site Friends or Friends.

She spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about how to care for houseplants in the winter months.

Silver’s “old-age” plant watering hack is something she learned from her relatives.

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The Poinsettia is one of the most popular Christmas plants. But how should you be taking care of the festive houseplant?

Alan advised against “sticking it on the window sill”.

“It’s cold out there and the frost can come through the glass.

“Instead, position it about a metre in from the window.

“Then it’s getting really good indirect light.”

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But how often should the festive plant be watered?

Alan explained: “Feel the surface of the compost.

“If it feels like a freshly rung out flannel – damp to the touch – it’s fine.

“Don’t overwater it.

Alan explained if following these recommendations, the Poinsettia could last until Easter.

The gardener also shared a handy tip for those wishing to avoid overwatering their plant.

“If you stand them on a tray of gravel that you keep moist, it will give them a little Turkish bath.

“That’s helpful as well.”

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Lawn care should be the focus of gardening during spring as the green blades begin to sprout new growth. While cutting and seeding is essential from March onwards, it is crucial to correct any existing issues before refreshing a bare lawn. Brown patches are just one common issue many of us will experience as the weather warms up, but what can you do to fix them? These are the best remedies for a lacklustre lawn.

What causes brown patches on grass?

Discolouration in your lawn can appear in large circular patches, often in a brown sandy shade.

When these unsightly blotches appear in spring, they are most likely the result of:

Turf diseaseAnimal urineChemical spills (oil, petrol)Soil compactionInsect damage

While all of these triggers can leave your grass looking poor and lacklustre, there are still plenty of ways to salvage the green blades in your garden.

Read More: Cleaning: Mrs Hinch fans share 2p trick to remove toilet bowl stains

Insect damage

If you notice unsightly patches near walls, fences or shaded and damp areas of your garden, you are probably dealing with insect damage.

The larvae of various insects such as chafer grubs and leather jackets will eat the roots and top shoots of your grass, leaving your lawn damaged beyond repair in extreme cases.

Keep an eye out for an influx of birds pecking at your lawn, as this could indicate an infestation of insects.

West Norfolk Lawn Care recommends treating the problem with a pesticide.

Soil compaction

Brown blotches can appear in areas of heavy foot traffic after a particularly wet period during the winter.

When sitting rainwater is unable to drain away from your lawn, the soil compacts, which prevents water from reaching the roots.

The simplest remedy for thatched, compacted soil is to aerate or spike your lawn to relieve the pressure and increase the flow of water to the roots from the surface.

In serious cases, you might need to top your lawn with a light dusting of sandy materials to improve soil quality and improve ventilation.

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Know the lingo

There are three types of cleaning processes: cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. 

• Cleaning removes visible objects from a surface. It can remove germs from the surface, but it won’t kill them. 
• Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens on a surface and kills nearly all germs.
• Disinfecting kills bacteria, germs, and fungi. The difference between sanitizers and disinfectants is that the latter is proven to kill viruses. 

At Virginia Tech, the housekeeping team uses a two-in-one chemical that both cleans and disinfects to quickly remove dirt and kill germs on surfaces.

“By utilizing a one-step disinfectant cleaner, our housekeeping team is able to be more productive and clean more surfaces more frequently,” said Greg Canaday, associate director for facilities. 

Dwell time

A critical factor for ensuring proper surface disinfecting is being mindful of the dwell time of the chosen chemical. 

Dwell time is the amount of time the chemical sits wet upon a surface before drying. If the full dwell time isn’t reached, potential bacteria, germs, or viruses have not been killed.

“Our housekeeping team is aware of the importance of making sure surfaces contain enough chemical to remain wet for the necessary dwell time,” said Canaday.

For the multi-disinfectant used at Virginia Tech, the dwell time is one minute. But for many household cleaners, it can be longer. “Check the recommended dwell time on the product you’re using at home. Apply enough chemical that the surface remains wet for the necessary dwell time,” said Canaday.

Dwell times vary among household cleaning products and brands. For example, Lysol disinfecting wipes require a dwell time of four minutes to fully disinfect (and kill potential flu viruses) a surface. 

Selecting the right cleaning products

When looking to purchase cleaning products for your residence hall or home, consider using a disinfectant named on the Environmental Protection Agency’s List N: Disenfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19). These are proven to be effective at killing both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces in your residence hall and home. If you or a visitor in your room or house has the flu or COVID-19, high-touch surfaces should be disinfected after every use.

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Originally Appeared Here

Make summer months clean and fresh at home

Stock up on your favorite disinfecting products

Though we’re on Alert Level 1 already in Metro Manila, this doesn’t mean that we should let our guards down. In fact, we should continue with our disinfecting habits to make sure that everyone is safe and healthy.

One thing we should stock up on are all-around cleaning products such as Lysol products that can kill over 100 illnesss-causing germs, including COVID-19 virus and its other variants. And there’s not better time to stock up on these products than today with its exclusive launches over at Shopee.

Check out their buy-1-take-1 multi-action cleaner 450ml twin pack that comes in scents of lemon and lavender. Both delivering the same results, take your pick of energizing lemon scent or relaxing lavender scent.

They are also offering buy-now-pay-later on March 21 for select items, so check them out now by clicking on this link.

 

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This month’s lifting of state mask requirements put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting many Oregonians to remove their face coverings, and health officials say it’s a good time to remind people about the importance of getting vaccinated against another circulating virus: influenza.

Oregon is seeing a late-season rise in flu cases – flu season generally peaks around late January or February – as mask requirements for public indoor spaces and schools fall away, making it easier to spread the virus from person to person, according to Oregon Health Authority communicable disease experts.

“The 2020-2021 flu season was virtually non-existent as public health restrictions, such as stay-home orders, mask requirements, and limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings, kept flu cases down at record-low levels,” said Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the OHA’s Public Health Division. “Now we’re seeing more cases at a time when the season is usually coming to a close.”

During the week of March 6 to March 12, Oregon reported that 3.1% of influenza tests were positive, compared with 2.5% the week of Feb. 27 to March 5, 1.6% the week of Feb. 20 to Feb. 26, and .6% the week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. During the same week of the 2020-2021 season, a scant .1% of flu tests were positive. The vast majority of flu cases have been influenza A.

Cieslak emphasizes that it’s still not too late to get a flu vaccine, and getting it now, as indoor and outdoor gatherings become more common, can help reverse the surge. Getting vaccinated can also reduce the severity of flu illness even if you get infected.

Anyone ages 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine, particularly young children, older adults and those who have chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease or metabolic diseases such as diabetes. In addition, pregnant women should get vaccinated since children younger than 6 months can’t get the flu vaccine. When a pregnant woman gets the vaccine, it means she not only avoids serious complications during pregnancy, but she also transmits, through the placenta, precious flu antibodies for her unborn child.

Flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19. That’s why it’s important to get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine, both of which are available from health care providers, local health departments and many pharmacies in Oregon.

The flu vaccine is free or low cost with most health insurance plans. To find flu vaccine clinic, visit www.flu.oregon.gov and use OHA’s flu vaccine locator tool.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the flu. Additional ways Oregonians can help prevent the spread of flu include:

Staying home from work or school when you are sick and limit contact with others.

Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Washing hands frequently with soap and water; use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.

Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may have flu germs on them.

Avoiding getting coughed and sneezed on.

For more information, visit OHA’s flu prevention page. Also, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s FluView page for updates on influenza activity around the country.

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A cheap cleaning hack for washing whites has been shared on social media after one woman needed help in her home. The solution was shared in a Facebook group dedicated to sharing cleaning tips and tricks.

Mrs Hinch, whose real name is Sophie Hinchliffe, gained popularity after sharing ingenious cleaning tips and recommendations on social media and TV. The cleaning enthusiast has managed to gain over 4.4 million followers on Instagram and has also authored several books.

Mrs Hinch fan groups on Facebook have hundreds of thousands of members who help each other with cleaning hacks for problems around the home. Mrs Hinch fans were quick to offer solutions to keeping white clothing white, with the most popular hack both cheap and surprising.

Read more: Mrs Hinch fans share ‘incredible’ 1p hack to clean glass shower screens.

One member took to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips group to ask for tips on cleaning white school polo shirts. She said: “Grandson’s school polos are grey. What’s best to get them white please?”

Fans of Mrs Hinch immediately came to the gran’s rescue by sharing their favourite ways to keep whites white. One method was more popular than any other, with dozens of fans saying the same thing.

Jane Hurst simply said: “Soak in Napisan”. This recommendation was echoed dozens of times in the comments, with novice cleaning gurus swearing by the £3.00 product. Napisan is a disinfecting washing detergent marketed towards parents with babies.

Group member Ange Richmond seconded: “I have used Napisan for over 35 years and it’s the only thing that I’ve not changed. It’s now for whites and colours. My whites I soak overnight.”

A Napisan product description says: “Every day you can come into contact with germs when in crowded environments, in public places or in the presence of pets. A regular detergent cleans but does not disinfect. Napisan works by releasing active oxygen to remove stains. Items washed with Napisan will not only be clean but Napisan also kills the germs you cannot see to leave your garments more hygienic.”

Some group members, however, recommended simply buying new shirts. Clare Carey said: “I’d say by the time you spend money on products to whiten them, you’d be cheaper going into Asda and buying a new pack. Unless you’ve got the products there already.”

Gracie Chezza said: “Cheaper to just replace them they’re pennies. Cleaning products are way more expensive.”

And Emma Hudson said: “I just buy new ones – probably same price as buying a stain remover.”

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Worcester, MA-CT

– Annual mean salary: $40,120

– #6 highest pay among all metros

– Employment: data not available

National

– Annual mean salary: $30,980

– Employment: 98,810

– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

– Metros with highest average pay:

— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,950)

— New Haven, CT ($45,360)

— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($41,210)

– Job description: Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

You may also like: Metros where people in Worcester are getting new jobs

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