ODA: Bird Flu Confirmed At Clackamas Poultry Operation

The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory recently confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in a Clackamas County commercial poultry operation with approximately 150,000 birds. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the affected birds were euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease and did not enter the food system. Avian influenza does not affect properly cooked poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe.

According to the CDC, HPAI is also considered low risk to human health.

State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz issued a regional quarantine around the operation to prevent the movement of poultry and poultry products from within the affected area, giving state and federal staff time to conduct surveillance to ensure no additional cases of HPAI exist. ODA is also working with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Clackamas County Public Health to ensure the farm personnel have proper personal protective equipment and to provide public health resources.

For details on the quarantine area, or to find out if your property is within the quarantine area, ODA has provide an online map.

ODA will lift the quarantine as regional surveillance is complete.

According to the USDA, since the HAPI outbreak started February 8th, 2022, 104 million birds have been affected in 48 states. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to chickens, and can spread rapidly from flock to flock. ODA continues to advise commercial poultry farmers and backyard flock owners to be vigilant with biosecurity measures and surveillance.

Biosecurity measures can include:

Wash your hands before and after handling your flock
Cleaning vehicles tools or equipment
Limiting unnecessary visitors
Sanitizing shoes in clean foot baths
Changing clothes upon contact with birds and more

Click Here for more tips on protecting your backyard flock, Death or illness among domestic birds should be immediately reported to ODA by calling (503) 986-4711 or you can call (800) 347-7028. In the event that you come across dead wild birds, reach out to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (866) 968-2600. And remember, do not collect or handle the birds but report the incident directly to ODFW.

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