Federal officials have confirmed the first case of bird flu in Honolulu County, Hawaii.
On Nov. 15, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) said it was notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) veterinary laboratory of “a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock of various birds in Central Oahu.”
The Hawaii Department of Health is investigating the property after the HPAI was reported through the local wastewater surveillance system.
“The virus detected here matches the strain that has infected dairy cows and domestic poultry on the U.S. mainland,” the HDOA said.
HPAI makes birds severely ill and results in a high mortality rate, which is why the HDOA issued an order for the property to be quarantined, the birds “depopulated,” and the site cleaned.
No animals will be permitted to leave the property, the HDOA said.
Despite its effect on humans, people are “unlikely to get sick” from the bird flu “at this time,” with the low risk of transmission.
However, HDOA epidemiologist Sarah Kemble advised whoever encounters sick or dead birds, livestock, or wildlife, to “be smart” and “avoid direct contact.”
“H5N1 infection in humans on the U.S. mainland has been reported almost exclusively among workers who have close contact with infected animals,” the HDOA said. “The most common symptoms of avian flu in humans are conjunctivitis and upper respiratory symptoms like sore throat and cough. Sustained human-to-human transmission has not been reported.”
The HDOA said it received a report of up to 10 birds on the property on Nov. 12.
These birds included geese, ducks, and a zebra dove, the HDOA said.
“It is not known at this time how the avian influenza virus arrived in Hawai‘i, but the state is in the Pacific flyway, which is a migratory path from the continental U.S. Strict quarantine rules have been in place to prevent bird diseases from entering the state via air transport and maritime routes,” the HDOA said.
Several state and federal agencies have been on the lookout for bird flu since 2015 when reports increased in the country.
“In addition to [the Health Department], HDOA has been collaborating closely with animal disease authorities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture who are familiar with avian influenza and its impact on wild and captive bird populations,” said HDOA Veterinarian Isaac Maeda. “We want to note that the owner of the property has been very cooperative and realizes the seriousness of the situation involving their beloved pets.”
The infected pig was identified in a backyard farm in Crook County, Oregon, where it lived with chickens that had contracted the virus.
“This farm is a non-commercial operation, and the animals were not intended for the commercial food supply,” the USDA said. “There is no concern about the safety of the nation’s pork supply as a result of this finding.”
On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first human case of bird flu in Oregon.
The person was linked to a commercial poultry operation in Clackamas County where 150,000 birds have been reported to have contracted the virus.
Still, the CDC said the “current public health risk is low.”
Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.
