DNR: Fox kit tests positive for bird flu in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A baby fox has tested positive for the bird flu in Minnesota, the first confirmed case in a wild mammal in the state.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the kit found in Anoka County died, as did two red fox kits in Ontario, Canada who tested positive for the avian flu last week, the first reported cases in a wild mammal in North America.

The University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory alerted the DNR, which monitors the health of the state’s wildlife.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory later confirmed the positive test earlier this week.

Copyright 2022 KBJR. All rights reserved.