#18,432
On Friday the Hawaii Dept of Agriculture Reported the 1st Detection of HPAI H5 in the state in what they described as `. . . a backyard flock of various birds in Central O‘ahu'. Yesterday the USDA released the following statement:
WASHINGTON, [November 18, 2024] – 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 non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Honolulu County, Hawaii. This is the first case of HPAI in domestic birds in Hawaii during this outbreak, which began in February 2022.
Samples from the flock were tested at the Hawaii State Laboratories Division, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in Hawaii on a joint incident response and will provide appropriate support as requested.
We get further details from KITV Island News 4 in a report published overnight, which interviews Susan Wilkinson - the owner/operator of the duck rescue service Susies Duck -who reports the first ducks began dying on Nov. 5th, and that initially poisoning was suspected.
Wahiawa duck sanctuary loses birds to first confirmed avian flu cases in Hawaii
The spread of HPAI H5 to local wildlife in Hawaii is another testament to the aggressiveness of clade 2.3.4.4b of HPAI H5, and is why Australia - despite being the only continent free of the virus - is increasingly concerned (see Australia : Biodiversity Council Webinar on HPAI H5 Avian Flu Threat) that they may be next.
