A Dare County resident had
to sacrifice their backyard chickens after the birds tested positive for the
bird flu.
The North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Monday that wild birds
that carry the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, known commonly as bird
flu, can infect domesticated birds.
This type of HPAI virus is
considered a low risk to people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control. However, it is highly contagious to other birds. The virus is also not
considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food
supply.
“It is likely that HPAI remains in our
resident wild bird population and in migratory waterfowl, so reports of
positive backyard flocks will likely happen on occasion,” said Dr. Mike Martin,
state veterinarian. “I encourage our commercial and backyard flock owners to
continue to follow strict biosecurity measures and if your flock is
experiencing a sudden higher-than-normal mortality rate, report it right away
to your local veterinarian or to the N.C. Department of Agriculture Veterinary
Division at 919-707-3250.”
The state said the flock of chickens
that tested positive for bird was euthanized to prevent its spread.
In February, a great horned owl tested positive for bird flu in Wake County, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. A spokesperson for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission confirmed the case and said one hawk and multiple geese were found dead in the same area. It marked the first case of bird flu detected in Wake County since 2023.
In January, the state said bird flu
was found in two commercial turkey operations in Sampson County and a layer
operation in Hyde County.
This type of HPAI virus is considered
a low risk to people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
However, it is highly contagious to other birds. The virus is also not
considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food
supply.
Egg prices have skyrocketed due to the bird flu.
As of late February, more than 166 million birds had been slaughtered
nationwide to limit the virus’ spread when cases are found. Most were
egg-laying chickens.
