(CNN) Investigators are looking into an outbreak of salmonella infections in 19 people that could be associated with sick or dead birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections have occurred in eight states, including California, Tennessee, and New Hampshire, with eight people requiring hospitalization. The agency cites interviews with sick people and laboratory testing that show contact with wild songbirds and bird feeders could be driving the infections. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reports being "inundated" with calls about residents finding sick or dead finches at or around bird feeders, particularly around the state's central coast and in the San Francisco Bay Area. One species in particular, pine siskins, is most frequently the subject of those calls in the state.

Source: CNN April 02, 2021 00:11 UTC