Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to spread in commercial poultry in the United States, with the presence of the virus being recently confirmed in six flocks in four states.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), California had three flocks affected, Minnesota had two flocks affected, while Arkansas and South Dakota each had one. All six cases were confirmed either on December 6 or December 7.
Avian influenza in California
The presence of HPAI was confirmed in two California flocks on December 7. One was a commercial meat duck flock in Sonoma County, while the other was a commercial broiler operation in Stanislaus County.
In the Sonoma County flock, 6,000 ducks were involved. APHIS has not yet provided information concerning the number of birds in the Stanislaus County flock.
On the previous day, another commercial farm in Sonoma County was struck by HPAI, as 270,000 commercial laying hens were affected.
Both counties have seen other instances of HPAI in recent weeks. The virus was confirmed in two other Stanislaus County commercial broiler flocks on December 5, collectively affecting nearly 500,000 chickens. Sonoma County also had two earlier instances of HPAI confirmed in commercial poultry. The virus was confirmed in a commercial duck breeder flock there on November 27 and it was confirmed in a commercial egg laying operation on November 30.
California has now had 11 commercial poultry flocks affected by HPAI in 2023. During the previous year, the state had 15 commercial flocks affected.
Avian influenza in Minnesota
APHIS reported that HPAI was confirmed in two commercial poultry flocks on December 6. One of those was a flock of commercial turkey breeder toms in Todd County, involving 64,200 turkeys. APHIS identified the other flock simply as a “commercial breeder operation” in Becker County. There were 18,900 birds in that flock.
The total number of commercial flocks to be struck by HPAI during the 2022-23 outbreak now stands at 112.
Avian influenza in Arkansas
The presence of HPAI in a commercial meat turkey flock in Carroll County, Arkansas, was confirmed on December 7. This flock included 33,300 birds.
This is the second poultry operation in Carroll County to be struck by HPAI in 2023, with the other being a commercial broiler operation.
Arkansas has had five commercial poultry flocks affected by HPAI during the 2022-23 outbreak, with all but one of those occurring in 2023.
Avian influenza in South Dakota
South Dakota’s most recent detection of HPAI was confirmed in a commercial meat turkey operation in Hamlin County on December 6. The affected flock involved 56,200 birds.
This marks the 89th commercial operation in South Dakota to have HPAI appear during the 2022-23 outbreak.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
To learn more about HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in the United States, Mexico and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
