In the wake of a recent H5 avian flu detection in wastewater on Oahu, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) on November 15 announced that state and federal tests have confirmed the virus in ducks and geese that died on a backyard farm.
The outbreak is Hawaii’s first and appears to be part of a surge in poultry outbreaks in US states that are along the Pacific flyway, where wild birds are migrating south. Hawaii’s outbreak also prompted an alert from the state’s health department about potential exposure at a pet fair that included birds from the affected flock.
Hawaii is the 49th state to report an H5N1 outbreak in poultry since the virus first turned up in US poultry in early 2022. Louisiana is now the only state that hasn’t reported the virus in poultry.
Warning about pet fair exposure
In a statement, the HDOA said the backyard flock is located in central Oahu and is in an area served by the watershed where H5 in wastewater was recently reported. It added that the virus matches the strain that has infected dairy cows and domestic poultry on the US mainland.
Officials said they received a report of at least 10 dead birds on the property on November 12. The flock included ducks, geese, and a zebra dove. So far, it’s not clear how the virus arrived in Hawaii. Though strict measures are in place to prevent sick birds from entering Hawaii by air or ships, the state’s location on the Pacific flyway puts it on the path of birds migrating from the continental United States.
In a statement today, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it is working closely with animal health officials in Hawaii on a joint incident response.
In a related development, the Hawaii Department of Health yesterday warned of potential exposure at a November 2 pet fair in Mililani, where some of the birds from the infected flock were present.
Officials said, however, that the first signs of infection in the flock didn’t occur until several days after the fair. Though the likelihood of H5N1 spread to humans is low, officials recommended that people who attended the fair and touched a duck or goose monitor for and report flulike symptoms or conjunctivitis.
They also urged owners of other animals who had contact with a duck or goose at the fair to contact veterinarians if the animals show any illness symptoms.
Virus strikes several more dairy, poultry farms in California
Meanwhile, California’s surge in outbreak in both dairy cattle and poultry continues, with APHIS today confirming 41 more outbreaks on dairy farms. Outbreaks centered in the Central Valley have now hit 335 farms since late August. California is the nation’s top dairy producer, and outbreaks have now affected more than one fourth of the state’s farms.
California’s latest outbreak boosts the national total in dairy herds to 549 in 15 states.
Also, APHIS confirmed the virus in several more California commercial poultry farms, including turkey and broiler facilities in Fresno, Kings, and San Joaquin counties.
Arizona reports first outbreak in commercial poultry
Elsewhere, Arizona reported its first avian flu outbreak in commercial poultry, which involves a commercial layer farm in Pinal County. The state had reported two earlier outbreaks in backyard birds, with the last one reported in November 2022, according to APHIS records.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture said the birds first started showing symptoms on November 11. Officials said eggs produced after illnesses were noted did not enter the food supply.
