WASHINGTON – The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced that Nevada confirmed its first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The virus was found in a backyard flock of domestic birds in Carson City, Nev. APHIS said that 40 chickens and ducks were infected.
State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.
Samples from the flock were tested at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
“This detection further emphasizes the importance of domestic bird owners to develop and maintain plans to protect the health of their flock and prevent the transmission and further spread of disease,” said Dr. Amy Mitchell, the NDA’s state veterinarian.
The state government added that it made a biosecurity recommendation in April 2022 when more detections were found in bordering states.
According to the latest data from APHIS on July 11, more than 40 million birds have been affected by the virus. Reports of HPAI have declined significantly from a peak position a few months ago.
