COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The Ohio Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, in over 900,000 chickens at a farm in Darke County.
The discovery was made shortly after Christmas. The Ohio Department of Agriculture does not identify individual farms during active cases.
"The farmers, the ones that are producing livestock, they realize they have a problem in a barn pretty quick. All of a sudden, they have got birds that are passing, birds that are just not acting right, they're not eating, and all those things and that's immediately when they start testing. But it is just really impacting that growing, live animal from an industry standpoint; products are very safe," Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, said.
ODA said there are no reported cases of bird flu transmission to humans in Ohio.
Baldridge emphasized, "From a human standpoint, no concerns on that as far as this transmission in this strain."
However, the risk of transmission can be higher for individuals who work directly with infected animals. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, HPAI cannot be transmitted through properly cooked meats or eggs.
At least 931,302 chickens were involved at the farm. When detected, officials quarantine the facility, and birds are depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. A control area and surveillance zone is set up to monitor other facilities nearby.
"That facility is quarantined, and that goes into biosecurity, making sure we contain and we go through the process of disinfecting," Baldridge explained.