Tumalo avian flu update: No new cases detected

A flock of about 90 backyard birds in Tumalo found to have a highly pathogenic avian influenza has been euthanized and a quarantine zone established, but no new cases have been detected in Deschutes County, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said Tuesday.

The ODA, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been in the area since Feb. 16, monitoring both wild and domestic bird populations, said Deschutes County sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Garibay, the county’s emergency services manager.

The affected flock “has been humanely euthanized and disposed of, and the premises has been cleaned and disinfected,” the agency said in its update.

While no new cases have been identified, officials are still performing active surveillance in the Tumalo area and northern Bend. Officials are asking residents on the north side of Bend, generally north of Revere Avenue, with backyard bird flocks to contact the surveillance team to ensure their birds are not infected, Garibay said.

The state and federal agencies have been conducting outreach in the immediate area, encouraging backyard bird managers to practice good biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of spreading the disease, largely by taking steps to prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Report sick or dead birds to the ODA hotline at 1-800-347-7028.

Poultry and poultry products have been restricted from movement into or out of a 10-kilometer quarantine zone established by ODA order to prevent the spread of HPAI in Oregon.

“”Anyone who wants/needs to move poultry must contact ODA first and get a special permit to do so,” said ODA spokesman Bruce Pokarney.

(Click here to see a map detailing the quarantine zone.)

Commercially prepared food products destined for grocery outlets are not included in the order, and movement of poultry and poultry products may be allowed under permit. A permit may be obtained by calling ODA at 1800-347-7028 for instructions.

The Deschutes County flock included about 90 mixed poultry and other domestic birds that had access to a couple of ponds on the property frequented by migratory wild waterfowl. Avian influenza naturally resides in wild waterfowl and it is fairly common for them to carry various strains of the virus.

Pokarney said they “are not identifying the property both for privacy reasons and to eliminate any inadvertent or potential spread of the virus by anyone who may be wandering onto the property.”

HPAI also has been reported in backyard birds in Washington and Idaho, and in wild birds in all three Northwest states. The Deschutes County detection in domestic birds is the second in Oregon. HPAI was detected in a flock of backyard birds in Douglas County in December.

As before, the state agency said the HPAI virus strains recently detected in the Northwest “represent low risk to human health.” They also noted the virus has not been detected in commercial poultry operations in the region. Avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat, the agency said, noting that as always, wild and domestic poultry should be properly cooked.