The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has confirmed two additional cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock of chickens in Utah County and a flock of gamebirds in Iron County.
UDAF and the USDA have worked to contain the disease to these two locations. All birds have been depopulated and surveillance will continue in surrounding areas to prevent further spread of the disease.
UDAF is asking for the public’s help to prepare for this expected increase of HPAI cases. All domestic bird owners, including backyard chicken flocks, ducks, geese, turkeys, gamebirds, etc., should strengthen their biosecurity practices. If possible, birds should be kept locked inside enclosures to avoid contact with migratory birds. Flocks should not have shared water, feed, or grazing sources with wild bird habitats.
Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. USDA APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
Indicators of HPAI in avian flocks are high death loss, nasal discharge, decreased appetite or water consumption, and lack of coordination in birds. If birds are experiencing any of these symptoms, it should be reported to the state veterinarian immediately at statevet@utah.gov.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern. One case of this strain of HPAI has been detected in the United States.
For more information and guidance on how to protect animal and human health in Utah, visit https://ag.utah.gov/hpai/.
