WSDA Confirms Bird Flu Cases In Three Counties

The Washington State Department of Agriculture confirmed this week new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic flocks in Jefferson, San Juan, and Clark counties. These detections bring this year’s total number of affected counties to ten.

Since the beginning of the outbreak n 2022, 4.1 million domestic birds have been euthanized across 24 counties in Washington. Over the past month, WSDA also recorded first-time detections in Clark, Grant, Island and Grays Harbor counties, underscoring how widely the virus is circulating. WSDA noted reports of sick domestic and wild birds continue across the state.

Flock owners within six miles of the Clark, Jefferson and San Juan detections fall under a surveillance zone. Anyone shown within this surveillance zone is encouraged to self-report any sudden flock health changes to the WSDA’s Website.

As a reminder, flocks in surveillance zones may be at increased risk and are an indicator that infected migrating waterfowl are in the area. To date, all 63 detections in Washington have been due to contact with wild birds or their shared environment.

This Strain Of Bird Flu Is Persistent

Dr. Amber Itle, WSDA state Veterinarian, said bird flu isn’t new to Washington and has been the longest and most deadly outbreak on record. The continued spread of HPAI shows how persistent the virus is in migrating birds. With migration peaking, she said the risk to domestic flocks is extremely high but preventable with strong biosecurity.

“Bird flu is an extremely painful and deadly disease of all domestic poultry," Itle noted. "It is so sad to see our feathered friends suffer and so hard to work with flock owners who face losses and emotional strain. I can’t stress enough the importance of bringing your birds undercover and away from wild birds to protect them; the best gift you can give them this holiday season.

“Each new detection is a reminder that it hasn’t gone away — and every flock owner should double down on biosecurity. The risk doesn’t fade just because we’ve seen this before.”

What Do You Need To Do?

Here are a few things with WSDA would like backyard flock owners, or commercial operators to keep in mind:

Report sudden, unexplained death or illness in multiple birds in your flock or birds with clinical signs consistent with Avian Influenza.

Neurologic signs (circling, incoordination, abnormal head position)
Depression, isolation or ruffled feathers
Drop in egg production
Drop in feed or water consumption
Swollen eyes or wattles
Blue combs
Respiratory distress

Protect your flock and make biosecurity a priority year round. Biosecurity steps include:

Keep birds housed undercover or in covered runs
Restrict access to water sources such as ponds or lakes where wild birds gather
Keep domestic birds away from wild waterfowl
Store feed in sealed containers and clean up spilled feed promptly
Limit visitors to your coop
Avoid sharing equipment with other flock owners
Employ wild bird, wildlife and rodent mitigation strategies

Human Cautions

WSDA added while rare, bird flu can spread from birds to people and make humans sick. People who come into contact with infected birds or animals or their environments should be aware of the risk of avian influenza so that they can take proper precautions, including handwashing, wearing personal protective equipment and storing shoes and other supplies used when caring for birds outside the home.

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