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H5N1 HPAI Confirmed Commercial Chicken Farm New Castle County Delaware

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niman Grand Master

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Avian influenza found in Delaware chicken flock; producers urged to take precautions

Department of Agriculture | Date Posted: Wednesday, February 23, 2022

 
cage-free chickens in poultry house, no particular farm, stock image

DOVER, Del. (February 23, 2022) – Testing has confirmed a case of avian influenza on a Delaware poultry farm that showed increased mortality over the past few days. Following an investigation by the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory has confirmed poultry from this farm have tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI).

There is no public health concern, and avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat.

“We have taken immediate action to contain this disease and will continue to work with poultry owners, the industry, and our laboratory partners to protect against its spread,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “This appears to be an isolated case, with no reports of disease among our chicken industry. Delmarva poultry is safe to eat, and consumers can be confident in the safety of their food.”

The Delaware Department of Agriculture and partner agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are working to contain the situation, including sampling and quarantining nearby poultry flocks.

Avian influenza is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers.

The farm is under quarantine to stop the spread of avian influenza to other flocks in the state. The birds on the affected farm will be depopulated to prevent the spread of disease and will not enter the food system. Due to the severity of this avian influenza, anyone found trespassing on a quarantined farm will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The avian influenza detection was the highly pathogenic H5 type, which is more severe and can cause high mortality in poultry flocks. It is the same strain confirmed in other states and wild birds in the Atlantic flyway.

It is not known exactly how the virus was contracted. Scuse encouraged all poultry flock owners to follow the strictest biosecurity on their farms to prevent the spread of the disease. Those steps include:
• Limit, monitor, and record any movement of people, vehicles or animals on or off your farm.
• Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm to limit the chances of bringing the virus from an outside source.
• Avoid visiting other poultry farms and any unnecessary travel off the farm.
• Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items that come into contact with flocks.
• Keep your flock away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
• Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian.

This finding is the first case of HPAI in commercial poultry in Delaware since 2004.

Positive test results were confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Service Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Preliminary testing was performed at the University of Delaware’s Allen Laboratory in Newark, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

For more information on avian influenza and protecting poultry, visit https://de.gov/poultry. Backyard flock owners who have sick or unusual deaths in their flocks should email [email protected] or call (302) 698-4507.

Additional background
Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus that can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and is carried by free flying waterfowl and wild birds, such as ducks, geese, raptors, and shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype and can be further broken down into different strains which circulate within flyways/geographic regions. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high)—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry.

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niman Grand Master

niman

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map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=39.43397193097607%2C-75.7967662404101&z=12

 

10 km exclusion zone

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2022-02/Canada-2-24-22-HPAI2022_IneligibleZones_DE_10k_NewCastle.pdf

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niman Grand Master

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USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Commercial Poultry Flock in Delaware

Published: Feb 23, 2022

chickens.png?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=


Contacts:
[email protected]  

WASHINGTON, February 23, 2022 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry flock in New Castle County, Delaware.

Samples from the flock were tested at the University of Delaware’s Allen Laboratory in Newark, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.

APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in Delaware on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.  

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern.  No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.  As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses. 

As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flocks. The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations.

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. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources  

USDA will report these findings to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on countries to base trade restrictions on sound science and, whenever possible, limit restrictions to those animals and animal products within a defined region that pose a risk of spreading disease of concern. 

APHIS will continue to announce the first case of HPAI in commercial and backyard flocks detected in a State but will not announce subsequent detections in the State.  All cases in commercial and backyard flocks will be listed on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai

In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through APHIS’ toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. The Animal Health Protection Act authorizes APHIS to provide indemnity payments to producers for birds and eggs that must be depopulated during a disease response. APHIS also provides compensation for disposal activities and virus elimination activities.  Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.


Additional background
Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and is carried by free flying waterfowl such as ducks, geese and shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype and can be further broken down into different strains which circulate within flyways/geographic regions. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high)—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry.


 

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USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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niman Grand Master

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New Castle County, Delaware, was in a commercial layer operation that involved 1,146,937 chickens, according to a World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) report

https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/44607-oie-delaware-avian-flu-case-involved-11-million-layers

 

SPECIESSUSCEPTIBLECASESDEATHSKILLED AND DISPOSED OFSLAUGHTERED/KILLED FOR COMMERCIAL USEVACCINATEDMORBIDITY (CALCULATED)MORTALITY (CALCULATED)BirdsNEW1210548-16263449----TOTAL1568573-399421237-----NEW1210548-16263449----TOTAL1568573-399421237----

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