Nearly 1M birds culled at Ohio layer operation amid HPAI outbreak
More than 931,000 birds have been culled
3 January 2025
2 minute read
By: The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was detected in Darke County, Ohio on Dec. 27, 2024 involving 931,302 commercial laying chickens, according to Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).
Individual farms have not been identified. The ODA HPAI page provides updates any time there is a positive detection in Ohio poultry under the ‘Tracking HPAI Across Ohio’ section. There is also a "Tracking HPAI across the US" tab for your reference.
According to ODA, the outbreak is linked to migratory birds. When there is a detection, ODA quarantines the facility, and birds are depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. A control area and surveillance zone were set up to monitor other facilities nearby.
In 2024, there have been three other confirmed cases of HPAI - all in backyard flocks and impacting a total of 226 birds.
On Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife (ODNR) stated that it is considering reports of dead birds in nine counties as "presumed positive for HPAI." The counties with reports of dead birds are:
- Auglaize
- Erie
- Huron
- Lucas
- Mercer
- Montgomery
- Richland
- Sandusky
- Warren
Over the last few weeks, Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and one mallard have been reported dead and are being tested, according to the ODNR.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current risk to the general public is considered low. Products from any HPAI-affected flocks are prohibited from entering the food system.
Individuals should avoid handling sick or dead birds. If you absolutely must handle a dead bird to dispose of it, it's best to double bag and throw it out with household trash, according to the ODNR.
HPAI occurs naturally in bird populations and is monitored closely by the US Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center. Native Ohio birds such as shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl are vulnerable to HPAI. Domestic chickens and turkeys are also vulnerable to HPAI. The virus is transmitted from bird to bird through feeding and interactions.
