News release WSDA
OLYMPIA – Oct. 8, 2026 –The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) confirmed the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in two Yakima County dairy farms in Washington state by the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.

For the last two years, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Washington State University have conducted over 7,000 surveillance tests for HPAI that have all been free of the disease.

This marks the first known case of HPAI in cattle in Washington state. Dairy cattle in a total of  19 states have been infected since the start of the outbreak in March 2024. Washington State Department of Agriculture conducted on-farm investigations, testing, and gathered additional epidemiological information to better understand this detection and limit further disease spread. The two farms are under quarantine and have employed strict biosecurity measures. Veterinarians are working to treat sick cows. 

Pasteurized milk products remain safe for consumers, and milk supply shortages are not expected.

WSDA urges livestock owners statewide to report any clinical signs of illness to their veterinarian, including:

• Changes in milk appearance (thicker, often yellowish to brown)
• Decreased milk production
• Decline in feed intake
• Fever
• Respiratory symptoms
• Changes in manure
• Steep drop in rumination and rumen motility

If you notice any of these signs, isolate affected animals and contact your veterinarian and WSDA at 360-902-1878 or ahealth@agr.wa.gov.

Most cattle affected by HPAI recover with supportive care with recovery typically taking about six weeks.

“We appreciate how difficult this is for our dairy families, farmworkers and veterinarians that are working hard to keep animals safe and healthy,” said Washington State Veterinarian Amber Itle, VMD, MS. “The most important thing you can do is implement enhanced biosecurity and report symptoms immediately if animals show signs of illness.”

HPAI can spread between dairy cattle through infected animals and contaminated milk, equipment, vehicles, clothing, footwear and other materials or people that move between farms. Wild birds can also carry HPAI, but they are not considered the primary source of spread of the virus between dairy herds.

Protecting your herd
Follow your biosecurity plan or write one with your veterinarian to incorporate enhanced biosecurity measures:

• Limit lactating animal movement between farms unless necessary
• Do not share equipment, vehicles or workers
• Clean and disinfect footwear before entering livestock areas
• Limit visitors and require clean clothing and footwear
• Isolate new animals for 30 days before introducing them to your herd
• Separate sick or suspect cattle from healthy cattle when possible
• Practice good milking hygiene and keep milk from sick or suspect cattle out of the bulk tank
• Restrict access to open water used by wild waterfowl
• Employ wildlife, wild bird, rodent and vector control
• Minimize contact with wild birds and other animals, particularly around cattle, feed, water and equipment

Dairy product safety
Pasteurization inactivates viruses and bacteria in milk, including HPAI virus, helping ensure the safety of the dairy supply. Infected cows can shed the virus in their milk, making raw milk and other raw dairy products unsafe for consumption. Avoid raw dairy product consumption, and do not allow your pets to consume raw milk or other dairy products, or raw foods such as raw meat.

Human health and safety
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) currently consider the risk to the public from avian influenza to be low. However, people who work with or have recreational contact with infected birds, cattle or other potentially infected domestic or wild animals are at higher risk and should take precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, eye protection and fluid-resistant coveralls or other outerwear.

Additional resources

• WSDA – HPAI in livestock: WSDA HPAI in Livestock webpage
• USDA APHIS – HPAI detections in livestock: HPAI Confirmed Cases in Livestock | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• Farm biosecurity: Enhance Biosecurity | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• Financial support: Financial Assistance | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• WA DOH Avian Influenza: WA DOH HPAI webpage

Media note: WSDA will issue a news release for each new county with confirmed HPAI in cattle. Subsequent detections in previously announced counties will be posted online.  

Salt Lake Tribune 9-27-26 coverage of story that was posted earlier here >>

In Utah, thousands of mink spend much of their lives in small wire cages, raised on farms for the soft fur that makes them a lucrative commodity.

But even in the second-largest state in the U.S. for mink production, officials have no clear guidance about what to do when those close quarters leave the creatures vulnerable to disease, which can quickly run rampant.

In 2020, COVID-19 swept through 12 Utah farms, killing about 12,000 mink. Now, a bird flu variant has reached a Salt Lake County mink farm, where the virus is killing most of the furry herd kept there.

It’s the first documented outbreak of bird flu in captive mink in the U.S., said Kate Dylewsky, assistant director of government affairs at the Animal Welfare Institute, an advocacy group based in Washington D.C.

And public records that the group requested from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food seem to suggest state officials have no clear plan to rein it in.

The rarity of such outbreaks, Dylewsky said, means mink farming has largely “slipped between the cracks in terms of regulation and oversight.” The wild animals are bred in captivity and raised on farms, occupying a regulatory gray area between wildlife and agriculture.

That lack of precedent was part of the challenge for Utah agriculture officials, who said there were “a lot of unknowns” when they began responding to the outbreak.

“Everything was on the table at the beginning,” the department said in response to written questions from The Salt Lake Tribune.

Federal agriculture officials typically provide guidance, the department said, but when an outbreak involves a species where the disease has never been seen before, “we figure out the best way to respond.”

‘Not looking good’

That uncertainty is reflected in 61 pages of texts, chat messages and emails between state agriculture officials, including state veterinarian Amanda Price, obtained by the Animal Welfare Institute and reviewed by The Tribune.

Throughout August, officials discussed how to respond to the outbreak, including whether to depopulate the farm, quarantine it, seek emergency approval for a vaccine and what would happen if they did nothing.

In an Aug. 21 message, one state agriculture official wrote that the “mink situation” was “not looking good” and that federal farm assistance programs did not cover mink or were unlikely to cover the farm’s losses.

That left three options, the official wrote: vaccination (if approved by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture), depopulation (if the USDA would provide compensation for the culled animals) or to “watch them die.”
The owner of the farm expected to lose 80% of their mink to the outbreak without intervention, the official noted.

Officials initially sought vaccination, but as one wrote, “I might need some pressure higher up in USDA to get movement.”

There’s currently one bird flu vaccine approved for mammals, Utah agriculture officials told The Tribune, but only USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins can authorize its use. And because bird flu in mink is new in the U.S., the agency said there’s little research to guide the dosage or determine how well it would work.

The USDA hasn’t yet made a call on whether to allow Utah mink to receive the mammal vaccine, the Utah agriculture department said. The USDA did not return The Tribune’s request for comment.

‘Really no excuse’

Price, the state veterinarian, placed the Salt Lake County farm under a verbal hold, temporarily restricting activity at the facility while officials monitor the outbreak.

In the meantime, agriculture officials have “discussed and anticipated what would need to happen” if the virus spread to other species or posed a risk to the public, the agriculture agency said in its statement.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services was also notified as a precaution. But with no defined protocol, agriculture officials said they were largely limited.

The animal advocacy group said the case points to a gap in oversight that could have implications for public health.

Mink are particularly susceptible to respiratory viruses, Dylewsky said, pointing to how quickly COVID-19 spread and mutated on mink farms in 2020.

Scientists have raised similar concerns about bird flu evolving to run rampant in humans. Given those risks, Dylewsky said, there is “really no excuse to not have a plan in place for an outbreak.”

In other countries, such as Finland and Spain, when bird flu has spread through mink farms, authorities have culled the infected animals.

Utah officials said they considered that option, but it’s “never an easy choice” and can be “devastating” for producers. Without financial help to cover those losses, they may not be able to financially survive, the department said.

Culling for economic reasons — to stop the spread and preserve the herd that remains — rather than “pure disease control reasons,” could also signal to the public that the animals pose a greater risk than the science shows, the department added.

For Dylewsky, though, the broader answer is to phase out mink farming altogether. She said legislation could help farmers transition into other industries rather than continuing to operate farms that can serve as “reservoirs” for diseases.

“We’re really playing Russian roulette here, because it takes one unlucky mutation of this virus to trigger a human health crisis,” she said.

With every additional mink that becomes infected, she said, “we’re rolling the dice again.”

Wilmar Radio >>

Bird flu hits operations in Kandiyohi, Stearns Counties

Bird flu has hit 5 more area livestock operations. The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says from September 16th through September 22nd, highly pathogenic avian influenza cases have been detected at two sites in Kandiyohi County, one in Stearns, one in Benton and one in Otter Tail Counties. It has affected commercial meat bird operations as well as so-called backyard poultry and non-poultry operations. Officials say the cases this fall and late summer are a little earlier than usual as we head into the heart of fall migration. Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls says a resurgence of the disease is not surprising: -audio-

There have been 14 high-path avian flu cases in Minnesota since mid-August, including six commercial flocks this month.

Key News Suriname >>

Tests into the sharply increased mortality among broiler chickens in Suriname have found samples positive for influenza A, type H5. This was announced by the Ministry of Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij (LVV, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries). Further testing must still determine which specific variant is involved and whether it concerns a highly or low pathogenic form of avian influenza.

Tests into the sharply increased mortality among broiler chickens in Suriname have found samples positive for influenza A, type H5. This was announced by the Ministry of Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij (LVV, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries). Further testing must still determine which specific variant is involved and whether it concerns a highly or low pathogenic form of avian influenza.

The investigation was prompted by a notable increase in mortality among broiler chickens over the past week. According to the authorities, exceptionally high losses were observed at a poultry farm in Wanica with approximately 6,000 chickens. More than half of the animals are said to have died by now.

LVV Minister Mike Noersalim said during a press briefing that Suriname had long sought to keep avian influenza outside its borders. According to him, the country was among the few countries in South America where the disease had not been detected for a long time.

The Veterinaire Dienst (Veterinary Service) examined samples together with the Bureau voor Openbare Gezondheidszorg (BOG, Bureau of Public Health). According to Dr Karg, deputy director of the Veterinaire Dienst, it has now been confirmed that several samples tested positive for influenza A, type H5.

It is not yet known whether this concerns a highly pathogenic or low pathogenic variant. Additional laboratory testing abroad is required for this.

Chickens transported from Wanica to Commewijne

The authorities are meanwhile conducting source and contact tracing. A team is on its way to Commewijne after it emerged that chickens from the affected farm in Wanica had been transported to a location in Commewijne.

An investigation is under way into whether the virus may have spread further as a result. The Veterinaire Dienst says it is taking measures to contain infections as quickly as possible and prevent further spread.

Poultry farmers are being urged to immediately report unusual or sudden high mortality among their animals to LVV.

According to the authorities, chicken mortality during this period may also be related to extreme heat, but the scale and speed of the current mortality prompted additional investigation.

Suriname blocked imports from risk areas

Noersalim says Suriname has taken several measures in recent months to prevent the introduction of avian influenza. For instance, imports of hatching eggs from parts of Europe where avian influenza was present were restricted.

Poultry products that had been brought into the country without the required permission were also reportedly seized, with instructions for them to be destroyed.

According to LVV, border controls are being further tightened. Stricter controls have also been introduced in the east of the country.

Besides LVV, the BOG, the Nationaal Coördinatiecentrum voor Rampenbeheersing (NCCR, National Coordination Centre for Disaster Management), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other local partners are involved in the response.

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a viral disease that mainly affects birds. Some variants cause few symptoms, while highly pathogenic variants can lead to mass mortality among poultry.

News report https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/wisconsin-poultry-avian-flu/

Affects 79,000 in commercial poultry flock in Barron County, last outbreak was in March. DATCP https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/HPAIWisconsin.aspx

ABC >>

The spread of H5 bird flu into foxes on Australia's mainland has prompted calls for a "major rethink" on how the nation deals with the pest, particularly in urban areas.

Readers are advised this article includes an image of a dead animal.

The detection of H5 in a red fox in metropolitan Adelaide in late August marked the first time the disease was detected in a land mammal in Australia. This was followed by authorities in Victoria confirming the death of a fox at Torquay, south-west of Melbourne, was due to bird flu.

While authorities are not concerned about foxes spreading the disease, there is a threat of them moving infected carcasses around, particularly in urban areas.

Australia's estimated 1.7 million foxes are found in densities up to three times higher in urban zones.

In some suburbs of Melbourne, there can be as many as 16 to 23 foxes a square kilometre.

Vertebrate pest controller and biodiversity surveyor Lisette Mill was not surprised to see bird flu cross into foxes, and occurring so close to a major city.

"A lot of people think that rural and conservation areas have the most foxes, but in urban areas [it's] almost double, sometimes triple the density per square kilometres of foxes," Ms Mill said.

"There's places to hide: rubbish bins, compost bins. Pet food in backyards, you name it. Cities are just forests of food for a fox."

She said it was "a rethink moment for the whole of Australia", putting an onus on city dwellers, not just farmers, to be part of the solution.

She said backyard chooks, guinea pigs, and rabbits were all potential prey for a hungry fox.

"This is the time when all of us pick up that biosecurity banner and go, 'OK, we know that foxes are probably going to be coming around and they might come through our yard in the night and have a look and see what they can steal,'" Ms Mill said.

Her advice is to keep yards clear of food sources, secure waste bins and remove the possibility of any interaction between foxes and household animals.

Ms Mill said sick or injured foxes often take greater risks.

"They come closer to houses, to sheds because they're unwell, so they want to get food as quickly and easily as possible," she said.

Overseas outbreaks show that cats and dogs can be infected with H5 bird flu, but this usually occurs due to contact with sick or dead birds.

Ms Mill said along with bird flu, foxes could carry diseases like mange that should prompt pet owners to take measures to prevent interaction.

"Nobody who values their dogs, or farm working dogs, wants to see any of them impacted by this horrible disease, or any of the others that foxes carry," she said.

All pests potential spreaders of bird flu

National Farmers Federation chief executive Mike Guerin welcomed the federal government's recent allocation of funding towards pest management as part of the national bird flu response and called on individual states to match it.

"Pests like wild pigs, deer, cats, foxes and rabbits all damage food and fibre production as much as Australia's environment and wildlife," Mr Guerin said.

"Whether it be wild birds or foxes or pigs, they can all be spreaders of the disease and if they get into, for example, a poultry farm and we get the disease into production agriculture, it's a far different outlook for Australia.

"We've contained the outbreak to wildlife. We need to hold it there."

Mr Guerin said ongoing funding for pest control programs was imperative.

"It's important for the environment, it's important for biosecurity, it's certainly important for food security, and it would make an enormous difference to getting on top of these pests," he said.

"If there's a silver lining in this bird flu outbreak, we just need to get this work done for all [those] reasons."

Foxes are considered one of the most damaging invaders in Australia's history, killing about 300 million native animals every year.

In the south east of South Australia, Limestone Coast Landscape Board officer Jarryd Lee estimates there would be tens of thousands of feral foxes.

"In the last 250 years we've lost 30 mammal species, and in that, South Australia has lost 24 …the primary driver for that is predation from feral cats and foxes," Mr Lee said.

"Foxes do like to take lambs quite regularly, particularly in that autumn and winter period when food's more scarce … but they'll also take poultry, ducks and chooks.

"The aim is just to drop the numbers so that our threatened species actually have a chance."

Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Beth Cookson, said the detection of H5 in foxes was a "concerning development", but not unexpected.

"There is currently no evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission associated with H5 bird flu in Australia," Dr Cookson said.

"This detection in a fox is a good reminder that people and their pets should avoid sick or dead wildlife."

Youth Successor Agriculture Newspaper 9-7-26, Google translation (more at link; last year's outbreak started September 12, more than a month earlier than in previous years)

&gt;>It is not just that the timing of the outbreak has shifted earlier. Last winter, three serotypes—H5N1, H5N6, and H5N9—were detected simultaneously in the country for the first time. Among them, the H5N1 virus, which was the most prevalent, was found to be more than 10 times more infectious than in previous years, according to an assessment of its infectivity and pathogenicity by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. This means that even a small amount of the virus can easily spread within a farm.<< ...

&gt;>During the special quarantine measures period, 59 farms were found to have violations during on-site inspections and were issued confirmation forms; among them, laying hen farms accounted for 43 farms, or 73% of the total. This result demonstrates the importance of basic quarantine measures at the farm level, given the increased threat of the virus.

Typically, the government has strengthened disease control measures by designating the period from October to February of the following year as the special winter disease control period for livestock. Although the special control period (October 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026) was in effect during the last winter, it was extended twice due to the continued risk of additional outbreaks. Disease control measures focused on high-risk areas were continued, extending the period first until the end of March and then to April 15. The number of leased disinfection vehicles deployed around migratory bird habitats and farms was also significantly increased.

As additional cases decreased and the risk level dropped after April 2026, the crisis alert was lowered from the 'caution' level to the 'concern' level starting June 1 of the same year and the disease control system was switched to normal.

The transition to normal times is not the end of disease control. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Minister Song Mi-ryeong, hereinafter 'MAFRA') announced that it will implement preemptive measures in three directions to prepare for the upcoming winter of 2026–2027. The plan includes conducting a comprehensive inspection of disease control conditions at poultry farms nationwide before the start of the special disease control period to make improvements, conducting customized disease control education by region and livestock type until September (strengthening education to prevent recurrence at farms affected during the last winter), and overhauling related systems to reflect shortcomings revealed during the current disease control process.

The wild bird surveillance system is also being strengthened. In an announcement on May 27, 2026, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated that starting in September, it would intensively monitor 20 initial stopover points and high-risk areas for migratory birds, and increase the number of surveillance points from 102 to 112. Fecal surveillance in Mongolia, an overseas breeding ground for migratory birds, will also be expanded from 1,500 points to 2,500, and plans are in place to take preemptive action by predicting periods and regions with a high risk of outbreaks using scientific analysis techniques that utilize the virus's entire genetic information.

With the onset of the disease occurring earlier and the infectivity and diversity of the virus increasing, it appears that the upcoming winter will determine whether the disease control system is keeping pace with these changes. While surveillance points have been expanded and early monitoring systems are in place, the final line of defense against outbreaks ultimately lies in basic disease control measures at the farm level. Given that a significant number of farms were caught failing to comply with disease control guidelines last winter, the key to the response to avian influenza this winter will likely be whether the disease control training scheduled until September leads to actual implementation by farms, rather than remaining a mere formality.

biobiochile 9-4-26, Google translation >>

Uruguay declared a nationwide health emergency on Friday after the discovery of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza H5 -Avian Flu- in backyard birds in the department (province) of Colonia .

The Uruguayan Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries reported -in a statement- that said declaration restricts all movements within the national territory of backyard birds and birds that are not controlled through the Poultry Monitoring System.

This measure also stipulated that backyard poultry and birds used in free-range production systems "must be housed in enclosed, covered facilities ." Furthermore, fairs, auctions, exhibitions, and events related to poultry were suspended.

According to the statement, there will be no birds at Expo Prado, Uruguay's main agricultural and livestock fair , which will begin on Friday, September 11 and run until Sunday, September 20.

The declaration of a public health emergency due to avian influenza is the second such declaration made by the South American country this year. The first was on February 24, following the discovery of the virus in wildlife in three of the country's departments: Maldonado, Rocha, and Canelones.

The first case detected on that occasion was on February 20 and corresponded to that of a coscoroba swan that was in the area of ​​Laguna Garzón, located in the east of the southern country.

The Ministry immediately mandated that backyard birds be kept in enclosed, roofed facilities.

In addition, the ministry recommended that the public not handle sick or dead birds and immediately notify the authorities if they find any.

The confirmation of that case of avian flu came exactly two years after Uruguay detected the first case in the country's history.

Portal Agro Chile 9-2-26, Google translation >>

The Agricultural and Livestock Service, SAG, Los Lagos region reiterated the call to producers and owners of backyard poultry to strengthen biosecurity measures, after confirming two new outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in backyard production systems located in the communes of Calbuco (Llanquihue province) and Quellón (Chiloé province).

The Regional Director of SAG, Francisco Briones, explained that these new detections reinforce the need to maintain preventive measures, especially in sectors where there is greater interaction between domestic and wild birds.

“While Chile maintains its sanitary status as a country free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in commercial poultry, the virus continues to circulate in wild bird populations, especially migratory and coastal waterfowl, which constitute the main natural reservoir of the disease,” the regional authority noted.

Briones added that the two cases detected in backyard poultry farming systems have an epidemiological link to areas near the coast, where there is a risk of direct or indirect contact between domestic and wild birds. “That is why it is essential to minimize this interaction and maintain biosecurity measures at all times. People should not handle sick or dead birds. If you find dead wild birds or birds exhibiting abnormal behavior, the recommendation is to promptly inform the SAG (Agricultural and Livestock Service) so they can assess the situation,” Briones noted.

For his part, the Regional Secretary of Agriculture, Francisco Cárcamo, emphasized that “the collaboration of producers, poultry owners, and the community is fundamental for the early detection of Avian Influenza. The ongoing adoption of biosecurity measures and timely reporting of suspected cases strengthen the health response and protect both family poultry farming and poultry production in the Los Lagos Region.”

 

Biosecurity in chicken coops

Following these new detections, SAG teams are conducting epidemiological surveillance in the affected areas, including clinical inspections, characterization of family farming systems, evaluation of biosecurity measures, and sample collection. These efforts aim to contain the disease, reduce the risk of viral spread, and safeguard animal health.

The institution emphasized that maintaining adequate biosecurity not only protects backyard poultry, but also safeguards the economy of families that depend on this activity and contributes to protecting the country's health heritage.

The SAG also urged those who raise chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, or other domestic birds to monitor their health daily and report any suspicious signs, such as sudden death, a sharp decrease in egg production, or respiratory problems. The presence of sick or dead wild birds in nearby areas should also be reported.

“Early detection and timely notification are essential because they allow for the rapid activation of health measures and reduce the risk of virus spread. In this scenario, biosecurity is the main tool families have to protect their birds,” stated the Regional Director of SAG.

 

Among the main preventive measures recommended by the SAG are:

-Keep domestic birds in protected spaces, avoiding their direct or indirect contact with wild birds, especially waterfowl.

-Use chicken coops, corrals or netting that reduces the risk of birds and other wildlife entering breeding areas.

-Prevent domestic birds from accessing beaches, wetlands, lagoons and other bodies of water frequented by wild birds.

-Keep breeding areas clean and disinfected, as well as waterers, feeders and utensils used for handling them.

-Use clothing and footwear exclusively for entering the places where the birds are kept.

-Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling birds, food, utensils or facilities.

-Keep new birds isolated for at least 14 days before incorporating them into the rest of the flock, observing during this period for the appearance of possible signs of illness.

 

FranceInfo 9-2-26, Google translation >>

After several months without a new case, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, has just been confirmed in a duck farm in Longué-Jumelles, Maine-et-Loire.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, as of August 27, France had no outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), after having recorded more than 150 between August 2025 and the end of July 2026. The detection of this outbreak in a duck farm in Longué-Jumelles therefore constitutes the first case reported on French territory in several months.

To limit the risk of the virus spreading to other farms, the prefect of Maine-et-Loire has issued an order defining regulated protection zones (ZP) and surveillance zones (ZS). These extend within a radius of 3 and 10 kilometers respectively around the contaminated establishment, as indicated on the map published by the prefecture.

Specifically, the municipalities concerned are:

Within a 3 km radius

• Cuon (a delegated municipality of Baugé-en-Anjou)
• Brion (a delegated municipality of Bois d'Anjou)
• La Lande-Chasles
• Jumelles (associated commune of Longué-Jumelles)

Within a 10 km radius

• Bocé, Chartrené, Le Guédeniau and Le Viel-Baugé (delegated municipalities of Baugé-en-Anjou)
• Beaufort-en-Vallée (a delegated municipality of Beaufort-en-Anjou)
• Blu
• Fontaine-Guérin (a delegated municipality of Bois d'Anjou)
• Longué-Jumelles
• Mouliherne
• Auverse (a delegated municipality of Noyant-Villages)
• Saint-Philbert-du-Peuple
• Vernantes

7,600 ducks affected

Within these areas, the prefecture reminds us, "all places where poultry and captive birds are kept are subject to specific regulations. In particular, the movement of poultry and other captive birds is prohibited. Surveillance is also reinforced by the implementation of enhanced post-vaccination monitoring of farms of vaccinated ducks in the regulated areas, and self-checks in commercial poultry establishments."

Furthermore, as part of the measures to combat the spread of the virus, the prefecture announces that a depopulation operation, in other words the slaughter, of the 7,600 ducks present on the farm concerned by the outbreak of avian influenza, is underway.

The prefect calls on all stakeholders in the sector to ensure "the strictest application of biosecurity measures throughout the territory to prevent the virus from entering farms via wild birds, whether migratory or local, and human activities, and to prevent its spread between farms. The same recommendations apply to individuals keeping backyard and ornamental birds."

KELO &gt;>

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)– Bird flu has been detected in poultry flocks in four South Dakota counties, as state officials report more than 150,000 birds have been affected by avian influenza outbreaks statewide since the start of August.

The South Dakota Department of Health (SD-DOH) has announced that a highly pathogenic influenza A strain (bird flu) has been detected in poultry flocks in Edmunds and Hamlin Counties.

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) within the month of August there have been four South Dakota counties that have had seen birds affected by avian influenza.

South Dakota State Veterinarian Mendel Miller said out of the four cases they have seen so far this year, three have been on commercial turkey meat or breeder operations with one being a backyard flock.

In the month of August there have been more than 150,000 birds that have been affected within South Dakota.

Avian influenza viruses usually spread between birds. In 2022, an emerging strain of avian influenza A virus, called H5N1, was detected in the United States and has since been spreading in wild birds and causing sporadic outbreaks in domestic poultry and dairy cows.

The flu is spread as infected birds shed it. The virus is their saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Other birds can get it if they come in contact with those infected birds and secretions. Birds can also get infected through contact with contaminated surfaces, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC states that bird flu viruses can infect birds’ respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts and have been identified in more than 100 species of wild birds worldwide.

The CDC states that it is possible for humans to get the bird flu although it is rare, saying that when they do, it’s most often through direct unprotected contact such as not wearing recommended personal protective equipment, (PPE) with infected birds or other infected animals.

“We may have cases that depending on climate and things like that, it may go out to November or December before we have our last case,” Mendel said. ” We’re kind of early, maybe it might be for the same time of year, it’s probably. We’re probably a case or two, but that is migration dependent.”

Miller said South Dakota has seen varying levels of bird flu across the state every spring and fall since the fall of 2022. Migration is a factor in the spread.

“Producers are taking care of their birds on a daily basis. When they notice an increase in mortality, that’s certainly one of the things we think about,” Miller said. “They contact their veterinarian that works with their flock, and, collect samples and submit those samples to a laboratory for a diagnosis, whether it’s high path avian influenza or another, disease that affects the birds.”

Cropland is appealing to wild waterfowl during migration, Miller said. “When wild waterfowl start to migrate they bring the virus with them and they spend a lot of time in South Dakota because of our geography and our cropland and things like that.”

According to Mendel, the longer the birds stay, “the more time they’re here, the more the virus has an opportunity to be released and infect our poultry that are contained here.”

Miller said when it comes to safety and prevention of the bird flu having excellent biosecurity is the best prevention anyone can have.

“Clean clothes, cleaning and disinfecting themselves and equipment and things like that between not exposing between different flocks in your own flock, just, just good sound biosecurity principles,” he said.