Avian flu response officially over
The 6.2-mile (10 km) control area associated with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) incident in Dubois County was lifted today by the Indiana State Veterinarian.
Poultry owners, commercial and residential, in the area may now resume normal operations and movements of birds and poultry products.
The farms in which the two strains of the virus were found are still under quarantine until the decomposing birds and facilities are declared virus free.
The control area was established on Jan. 15 after HPAI was identified on a Dubois County commercial turkey farm. Poultry and poultry products could not enter or leave the control area without a negative avian influenza test and a permit issued by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH). Because the tests must be completed within 24 hours of the movement, many commercial egg farms had to be tested daily to continue to move products.
Since Jan. 15, the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University has run more than 4300 avian influenza tests. All farms consistently tested negative throughout the 38-day period, which allowed BOAH to lift the control area, based on guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In addition to the initial HPAI H7N8-infected farm, the low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus was identified on another nine nearby commercial turkey farms. All were depopulated, as prescribed by USDA, as well as a non-infected commercial layer farm that was considered a dangerous contact premises.
As an extra measure of caution, BOAH imposed a surveillance zone with the same testing requirements (but without the required permit) on commercial operations in an additional 6.2-mile (10 km) surveillance zone. Those requirements are also lifted with this announcement.
“We are pleased to be where we are today, just 38 days after HPAI was identified in Dubois County,” said Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh, DVM. “This is an unprecedented event for the state of Indiana, and the level of cooperation and response at all levels has been incredible. The BOAH team and I are grateful for the hard work of our local, state, federal and industry partners who came together to bring this event to a close.”
Avian influenza poses no food safety threat. Poultry meat and eggs are safe to eat.
“Thanks to the dedication and hard work of Indiana’s poultry producers as well as state and local officials, the response to avian influenza in Dubois County was executed flawlessly, the situation was contained immediately and the threat to producers across the state was mitigated,” said Governor Mike Pence. “I commend everyone who worked so hard to reach this positive outcome.”
According to Dubois County’s Emergency Management director Tammy Humbert, Dubois County’s response will likely cost up to $60,000. She is in the process of finalizing those amounts.
Humbert reported the state had spent about $480,000 on the response as of Feb. 10. Based on the costs for the independent contractors the USDA employed, Humbert postulated their response costs were in the millions of dollars.
