HPAI Round Up

Although the week has brought new HPAI cases around the country, there are optimistic reports from some states.

• California officials stated bird flu is "slowing down" in the state. During a hearing in the state Senate, public health officials said there have been no new cases since January, fewer dairy cows are getting sick, and quarantines on poultry flocks are being lifted by the dozens. "There were times in December," said State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones, "where I wanted to break down in tears, because every night we got 30 new cases."
• Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced the state is HPAI free following outbreaks in two commercial poultry operations in January. “HPAI remains a significant threat to our state’s No. 1 industry, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture will continue working around the clock to keep HPAI out of our state, protect Georgia’s poultry flock and bring down prices for Georgia consumers,” Harper said.
• Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls is pleased with the USDA's new $1-billion commitment to fighting bird flu. "It’s refreshing to have the current USDA leadership want to talk about this more broadly within the agency, instead of folks just within the poultry industry discussing it,” Kohls told media.

New outbreaks
Despite optimism in those states, new H5N1 outbreaks were reported elsewhere.

•  APHIS confirmed an avian flu detection in Idaho dairy cattle, the first such case since October. Since March 2024, APHIS has reported H5N1 detections in 977 dairy herds in 17 states.
• The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed HPAI in a Monroe County backyard flock. Since 2022, there have been three HPAI cases in the county.

The Indiana state Board of Animal Health reported an HPAI detection in an Adams County commercial breeder duck flock containing more than 3,200 birds.