PASCO, Wash. – The state of Washington has detected avian influenza for the first time this year at a commercial poultry operation in Franklin County.
According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the farm noticed high numbers of sudden deaths of chickens on October 11. Other birds were described as lethargic and showing additional signs of illness.
State and national veterinary labs confirmed the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, late Tuesday.
“State officials quarantined the affected premises to prevent the spread of disease,” WSDA said in a news release Wednesday. “Rapid, humane euthanasia of all the birds on the premises is critical to contain the outbreak.”
The state says poultry products from the flock will not enter the food supply.
In the news release, the state did not disclose the name or exact location of the farm.
You can learn more about Washington’s efforts to detect avian flu and find a link to the online reporting tool here.
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