Avian flu detected in Indiana commercial duck operation
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This is the first time the avian flu has been detected on a commercial duck farm in Indiana.
Indiana is the leading producer of ducks in the country. The impacted farm in Elkhart County has 4,000 ducks that will be depopulated.
“This is unusual in it is the first diagnosis of high pathogen in commercial ducks in the United States of which I’m aware,” said Rebecca Joniskan of the Indiana State Poultry Association.
Over the past year and half, the poultry industry around the world has been fighting one of the deadliest avian flu outbreaks in a decade. This is the same virus that forced Indiana farmers to kill more than 170,000 turkeys earlier this year. On Friday morning, I-Team talked with Joniskan about how this virus is getting into Indiana farms.
“We continue to believe and USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) continues to say we now have this virus in flocks in 24 states, 24 of the 50 states, and those studies continue to point to wild-bird introduction, and we don’t know how this was introduced to the Indiana duck flock, but I think chances are good it was through wild bird.”
Within 10 kilometers of the Elkhart County duck operation, 78 poultry farms will undergo testing for the virus.
Earlier this week, I-Team 8 reported an Elkhart County chicken operation was impacted by egg drop syndrome. The two viruses are not the same, but the spread of any virus is a concern.
“Our biosecurity measures are very strong, and I don’t think what we are seeing is a breakdown of farmers’ biosecurity efforts,” Joniskan said.
The virus is hitting Pekin ducks. They are white in color, and a favorite of backyard and hobby flocks. Indiana produces 45% of the annual duck meat in the county with just over 2 million ducks in the commercial system.
It is rare that the avain flu will infect humans. The USDA is stepping up development of a vaccine for poultry that will protect against avian flu.
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health is keeping people updated on its website.
Indiana isn’t the only state seeing flocks contracting avian flu. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is keeping a database of outbreaks. Some zoos have changed how their birds are displayed to protect against the virus.
Officials emphasize that bird flu doesn’t jeopardize the safety of meat or eggs or represent a significant risk to human health. No infected birds are allowed into the food supply, and properly cooking poultry and eggs kills bacteria and viruses. No human cases have been found in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.