ST. GEORGE — The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food issued a press release stating that Utah’s second case of bird flu was confirmed Friday in Cache County.
“The diagnosis of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) on this farm is devastating,” Utah State Veterinarian Dr. Dean Taylor said in the news release. “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 bird flu and contacted the department immediately. The farm had been following very strict biosecurity measures, according to the release.
The department 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 the virus.
Department officials 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, according to the release. If birds are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact the state veterinarian’s office immediately at [email protected]. Early reporting and action will help to contain the disease.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of this strain of bird flu 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.
More information and resources about biosecurity, including videos, checklists and a toolkit are available at this link.
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