Pennsylvania agriculture officials renewed the recommendation that poultry producers keep their birds indoors to protect them from being infected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
In February 2022, then-state veterinarian Kevin Brightbill made the recommendation, which was in effect until June 30, 2023. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), that recommendation has been renewed.
Pennsylvania poultry producers were sent a letter from PDA on June 22, which reminded producers the recommendation remained in effect through the end of the month. Then, on June 28, the agency sent them another letter, stating the recommendation to keep poultry indoors would continue through the remainder of the year.
“It that time, the risk to poultry will be evaluated and a new recommendation may be provided,” the second letter read.
Both letters were signed by Alex Hamberg, director of the PDA Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services.
“Despite no detections of the most infectious strain of virus in recent months in Pennsylvania, detections of the virus in surrounding states indicate that the threat to the industry warrants continuing to keep birds inside,” the PDA stated.
The first case of HPAI in a commercial poultry flock in Pennsylvania during the present outbreak was in April 2022. Since that time, the virus has continued to spread into backyard flocks and commercial poultry facilities across the U.S., affecting 47 states. More than 4.7 million birds have been lost in Pennsylvania alone.
HPAI cases were actively being confirmed in Pennsylvania in the early months of 2023, but more than three months have passed since any new cases in commercial or backyard poultry have been reported. The last commercial case was confirmed in Chester County on March 16 and another non-commercial poultry flock affected one day later, according to information from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The most recent detections in wild birds in the state were confirmed on May 30, when a peregrine falcon and a turkey vulture were affected by HPAI.
PDA continues to encourage poultry growers to implement strict biosecurity practices at all times and to contact the department at +1.717.772.2851 if they notice any unexplained mortality or morbidity in their flocks.
