Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) officials confirmed Utah’s second case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Cache County on Friday.
“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 farm noticed his birds experiencing symptoms of HPAI and contacted UDAF immediately. The farm had been following very strict biosecurity measures.
UDAF is continuing to work with federal, state, and local partners on the response plan and all infected birds will be depopulated. Additional surveillance and testing will be done in the surrounding area to help prevent further spread of HPAI.
Officials at UDAF urge bird owners in 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.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
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. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
###
