State declared free of avian flu

Indiana is free of bird flu.

In a press release issued by Thursday, Indiana State Board of Animal Health said Indiana “may declare freedom” from highly pathogenic avian influence, also known as bird flu.

The declaration, which follows World Organization for Animal Health standards, eases expert restrictions and trade barriers for the state’s poultry and poultry products.

The release clarifies that the designation does not declare an “all clear” for the disease in the state.

“Owners of all flocks, large and small, need to remain vigilant in biosecurity and in preventing the introduction of the virus. The influenza virus is still active throughout parts of the United States.”

Jay County has been impacted by avian flu more than any other county in the state, with 11 cases and more than 5.5 million birds affected. (Elkhart is the next hardest-hit with six cases, followed by Allen County with five and Dubois County with four.) The largest operations hit in the county had 1.4 million and 1.34 million birds, respectively.

The last confirmed positive test in Jay County came on March 18. Only two new cases have been reported in Indiana since, with one in Kosciusko County in late March and the other in Portland County early this month. 

Jay County had not experienced any cases of avian flu prior to this year.

Adams County had three locations impacted, affecting just over 25,000 birds. There was one local affected in Randolph County.

Darke and Mercer counties were the hardest-hit by avian flu in Ohio, with about 8.6 million and 6.1 million cases, respectively. Darke County had the most recent positive test in the Buckeye state at a commercial layer facility in mid-April.

In most cases, the facilities were “depopulated” — birds were euthanized — and many have been approved for restocking. All control areas and surveillance zones have been released.

Jay, Mercer and Darke counties are among the top agriculture producers in their states. Jay County ranks second in Indiana in the market value of poultry and eggs sold annually at $301.8 million, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Darke and Mercer counties are No. 1 and 2, respectively, out of Ohio's 88 counties at more than $1.1 billion combined.

The first case of avian flu in Indiana in the 2022 through 2025 outbreak was reported in Dubois County in February 2022. The state has had 34 commercial poultry flocks and 11 small/hobby flocks test positive in 20 counties. More than half of the total cases have been identified this year.