The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is asking people with backyard poultry to monitor their flock particularly closely due to the threat of two strains of bird influenza virus. H-P-A-I, the acronym for highly pathogenic avian influenza has been reported in California, Washington and Oregon.
The current virus is not a danger to humans but is usually fatal if a domestic bird gets it. Dr. Warren Hess is the acting state veterinarian with the agency.
“The concern is that it could affect poultry producers, people that have backyard birds, it could affect zoo animals, or aviaries and things like that.”
Hess says there are concerns because various waterfowl are carriers of the virus and the Great Salt Lake is in the Pacific Flyway.
“We are definitely in the area where this virus could come over into Utah,” Dr. Hess says.
He says the department is asking bird owners to contact the state right away if any of their birds become sick or die. Hess says commercial poultry already have testing programs in place but have been notified. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is also advising hunters to watch for anything unusual in the wild bird population.
