Preliminary tests over the weekend show Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia , or VHS, may be present in the Lake Winnebago chain of lakes. DNR Fisheries Director Mike Staggs says the discovery was discouraging because officials had hoped it would take some time for it to show up in Wisconsin lakes. VHS has been working its way through the Great Lakes over the past several years, although this is the first inland case in Wisconsin.
Staggs says the focus right now is on containment. That includes closing down certain locks and urging boaters to make sure water and fish don't move between lakes.
The virus is not harmful to humans and Staggs says there's no reason to panic. Just because it's appeared within the state, he says the DNR should be able to address the problem quickly. Staggs says past work to control invasive species shows they can prevent VHS from spreading.
