FAUQUIER COUNTY, Va. — Editor's Note: The video above is from WUSA's sister station WBIR in Kentucky after a case of bird flu was detected on Feb. 14.
A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) -- or bird flu-- was detected in flocks in two states, including Virginia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A backyard flock in Fauquier County tested positive for the disease and had to be humanely killed Saturday to prevent any spread.
The Virginia flock included 71 chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks
"All it takes is one infected bird, and the disease can spread from flock to flock within a matter of days," the USDA says on why birds infected with HPAI must be quickly disposed of. "As with any highly contagious animal disease, a quick and early response is our best chance to limit the size and scope of the outbreak."
Samples from the infected flock were tested by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at a lab in Harrisonburg.
Here are a few symptoms of birds infected with avian flu:
- Lack of energy and appetite
- Decreased egg production or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
- Swelling of head, comb, eyelid, wattles, and hocks
- Purple discoloration of wattles, comb, and legs
- Nasal discharge, coughing, and sneezing
- Incoordination
- Diarrhea
- Sudden death without clinical signs
In a news release Monday, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ensured the public that "depopulation" was complete in Virginia and said no bird from the infected flock would make it into the food system.
"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 release said. "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."
According to APHIS, there are two humane methods of depopulation in emergency health situations, both of which are conducted under the APHIS supervision: water-based foam for floor-raised birds and carbon dioxide gas for caged birds. The CO2 method was used in Virginia.
"We take the decision very seriously and weigh many factors when choosing what depopulation method to use," APHIS says on its website. "These include, among other things, the size and type of the animals, their behavior, and their containment/housing facilities."
WUSA9 has reached out to APHIS for further information on this flock, but has not yet heard back.
The Virginia flock is not the first instance of the highly infectious disease being found in birds as of late.
A flock of 246,000 commercial broiler chickens in Fulton County, Kentucky also tested positive, and results are pending from a Webster County turkey flock (54,600). On Feb. 9, 29,000 turkeys in Indiana were also reported to be infected and had to be killed, while 26,500 more -- on a nearby farm -- are being tested for HPAI, according to Indiana's State Board of Health.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has said that the current risk to the public after these outbreaks is considered low, and said the situation is mainly an animal health issue monitored by the U.S. Department of Interior and USDA.
"Human infections with HPAI A(H5) bird flu viruses are rare but can occur, usually after close contact with infected birds," the CDC said. "No human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A viruses have been detected to date in the United States."
Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.
Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021.