TAYLORSVILLE — Over 100,000 additional chickens and turkeys have been culled after additional avian influenza was found in a backyard flock in Salt Lake County and multiple commercial facilities in south-central Utah.
Most of the new cases were uncovered at three turkey farms in Piute County, between Nov. 10 and Tuesday, resulting in 107,800 turkeys having to be killed off to “limit further disease spread,” Utah Department of Agriculture and Food officials said in an update on Friday.
Avian flu was also detected in a backyard chicken flock of 253 birds in Salt Lake County in the past week, which forced those birds to be slaughtered as well.
“Though the overall risk to public health remains low, (highly pathogenic avian influenza) is a serious disease, requiring rapid response, including depopulation of affected flocks as it is highly contagious and fatal to poultry,” the agency wrote, adding that five poultry farms across the state remain in quarantine.
The new cases pile onto the outbreak that has impacted farms across northern Utah, including an outbreak that led to the depopulation of about 1.8 million chickens at a large commercial poultry facility in Cache County last month. The disease was later found in eight commercial dairy herds in the county.
Avian flu has impacted many states since a major outbreak began in 2022, but another wave has impacted the West in recent months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this week that cases were found in a noncommercial chicken in Hawaii, marking its first case since the outbreak.
It often spreads in domestic poultry through “contaminated feed, clothing and equipment,” although it can also spread through direct contact with wild birds, U.S. Geological Survey officials note. Its impact on humans is considered low. There have only been 36 documented human cases between April and late October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Oct. 29.
Despite Utah’s rise in cases over the past few weeks, state agriculture officials say they believe overall food supply impacts are “limited.” Still, they urge poultry businesses to follow safe practices to help limit the spread of the flu.
“Poultry owners should practice strong biosecurity and monitor flocks for signs of illness and report any sick birds immediately to the state veterinarian’s office,” the department wrote. “Individuals who work in close contact with infected animals may be at higher risk for contracting (the avian flu) and should take precautions, including using recommended personal protective equipment.”
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