The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, in coordination with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), have reported a second case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry flock in Adair County. This announcement comes on the heels of an earlier detection in another flock within the same vicinity on November 30.
According to Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall, "We knew it was possible that HPAI may be detected in more than one flock due to the virus being circulated around the country by wild waterfowl," as mentioned in Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. In response to this latest incident, officials have set up an additional control area spanning Adair and Delaware counties. Circulated by wild waterfowl across the country, it should come as no surprise that more than one flock has been infected by the virus. The new control area will govern the movement of poultry to mitigate further spread.
Flock owners in the affected region are urged to remain vigilant and protect their birds from HPAI by preventing interaction with wild birds. The Department has laid out biosecurity resources and guidelines, emphasizing the critical nature of these practices in current times. They're available for review on the Department's disease alerts page.
Immediate actions suggested for producers include enhancing their flock's safeguarding measures and reporting any signs of illness to their veterinarian or the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry at (405) 522-6141. Coming from places where wild birds may have been, producers are urged to prevent their poultry's exposure to such areas.
Although these detections are cause for concern within the poultry industry, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that there is no immediate public health concern from HPAI in birds. The CDC assures that properly handled and cooked poultry and eggs remain safe for consumption, as the cooking process to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is sufficient to eliminate viruses and bacteria. Moreover, the infected birds will not enter the food supply system, posing no risk to food safety.
