The Avian flu virus started in the east and has slowly made it to the west killing thousands of domestic flocks.
LOGAN – Bird flu has made its way to Cache Valley, devastating a back yard flock practicing strict biosecurity measures the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) officials said on Friday. This is Utah’s second case of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the state.
“The diagnosis of HPAI on this farm is devastating,” said Utah State Veterinarian Dr. Dean Taylor. “UDAF is working to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading further in this area.”
The owner of the flock noticed the birds were experiencing symptoms of HPAI and contacted UDAF immediately.
All infected birds will be depopulated, and testing will be done to all poultry in the surrounding area to prevent the further spread of the deadly disease. The UDAF is continuing to work with federal, state, and local partners on the response plan and all infected birds will be depopulated.
UDAF officials are urging bird owners all across Utah to continue to be vigilant in checking their birds for symptoms and ensuring they are following good biosecurity practices. Symptoms include high death loss among flocks, nasal discharge, decreased appetite or water consumption, and lack of coordination in birds. If birds are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact the state veterinarian’s office immediately at statevet@utah.gov.
Early reporting and action will help to contain the disease.
Cache Valley Daily tried unsuccessfully to contact Idaho for an updated list of counties with the disease.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of this strain of HPAI have been detected in the United States.
Proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs products to an internal temperature of 165˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
Poultry production operations from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. For those poultry flock owners APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources.