Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) Outbreak killing fish in Wisconsin lakes, possibly spreading

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number: BH-20070513-11327-USA
Date / time: 13/05/2007 17:26:27
Event: Biological Hazard
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of Wisconsin
City: Unknow
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:
Dead fish found in Little Lake Butte des Morts had tested positive for a deadly virus called viral hemorrhagic septicemia or VHS, news media reported Saturday. VHS may also have infected fish in Lake Winnebago where dead fish was also found. The virus caused huge fish kills in several eastern Great Lakes in 2005 and 2006, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The state officials early suspected that VHS has already gotten into Lake Michigan and maybe in Lake Superior and the Mississippi Rover as well. VHS does not pose any health threat to people who eat or handle infected fish. However, it can kill a total of 25 game fish, bait fish and panfish.

"This is a major fish health crisis," Mike Staggs, fisheries director with the DNR was quoted by postcrescent.com as saying. In response to the recent discovery of the virus and dead fish, the DNR has ordered the Fox Locks Authority to close the Menasha lock where numerous dead fish were found, to prevent the virus from spreading to other waters, news media reported.

To prevent the spreading of the fish virus, emergency rules had already proposed effective April 2007 to prohibit boaters and anglers from moving water and live fish, including minnows, from one waterbody to another, according to the DNR.

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=11327

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