HPAI Cases on the Rise in December, USDA Says

This story will be continually updated as new commercial and backyard cases are reported to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The Latest

To date, more than 121 million reported birds have been affected by HPAI since Feb. 2022, with cases found in 49 states. Cases slowed down significantly since the turn of the calendar to 2024, but cases have risen since the start of November.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have reported 90 new cases of Highly-Pathological Avian Influenza (HPAI) over 21 different states in the past 30 days.

The states with affected counties since November 1, 2024 are:

Alaska

• Matanuska Susitna County — 110 WOAH (World Organization of Animal Health) non-poultry birds

Arizona

• Maricopa County — 490 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Pinal County — 790,700 commercial table egg layer birds

California

• Fresno County — 23,100 commercial duck breeder birds; 266,400 commercial broiler production birds; 172,800 commercial broiler production birds; 259,000 commercial broiler production birds; 237,700 commercial broiler production birds; 39,600 commercial turkey meat birds; 17,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 17,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 34,800 commercial turkey breeder replacement toms; 237,100 commercial broiler production birds
• Kern County: 2.15 million commercial table egg layer birds; 1.02 million commercial table egg layer birds
• Kings County: 279,300 commercial broiler production birds; 53,300 commercial broiler production birds; 8 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Marin County: 6,500 commercial duck meat birds
• Merced County — 538,600 commercial table egg pullet; 53,200 commercial turkey meat birds; 38,200 commercial turkey meat birds; 25,200 commercial turkey meat birds; 1.72 million commercial table egg layer birds; 793,700 commercial table egg layer birds; 304,400 commercial table egg layer birds
• Riverside County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Sacramento County — 48,300 commercial turkey meat birds; 61,200 commercial turkey meat birds
• San Joaquin County — 29,100 commercial broiler production birds; 13,000 commercial duck meat birds
• Sonoma County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Stanislaus County — 21,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 23,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 57,700 commercial turkey meat birds;720,800 commercial table egg layer birds; 44,100 WOAH poultry birds;
• Tulare County: 96,900 commercial duck meat birds; 26,500 commercial duck breeder birds; 120 WOAH non-poultry birds; 330,200 commercial broiler production birds

Colorado

• La Plata County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds; 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Pitkin County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Weld County — 80 WOAH non-poultry birds

Hawaii

• Honolulu County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds; 9 WOAH non-poultry birds

Idaho

• Bonneville County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Jefferson County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds; 60 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Lemhi County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds

Illinois

Henry County — 5,600 WOAH poultry birds

Iowa

• Palo Alto County — Commercial turkey flock
• Sac County — Commercial turkey flock
• Sioux County — 4.2 million commercial table egg layer chickens; Commercial layer chickens
• Taylor County — 1.1 million commercial layer chickens
• Woodbury County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds

Kansas

• Douglas County — 100 WOAH non-poultry birds

Minnesota

• Martin County — 40 WOAH non-poultry birds; 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Meeker County — 241,800 commercial turkey meat birds; 29,900 commercial turkey meat birds; 24,700 commercial turkey meat birds

Missouri

• Benton County — 16,600 commercial broiler breeders
• Cedar County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Daviess County — 19,500 WOAH poultry birds
• Jasper County — 27,300 commercial turkey meat birds

Montana

• Cascade County: 50 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Flathead County — 40 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Glacier County — 50,300 WOAH poultry
• Missoula County — 280 WOAH poultry birds
• Park County — 3 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Sweet Grass County — 3 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Wheatland County — 4,000 WOAH poultry birds

Nebraska

• Dodge County — Backyard chicken flock
• Nemaha County — 12,400 commercial turkey breeder hens

North Dakota

• Bottineau County — 30 WOAH poultry birds
• McHenry County — 80 WOAH poultry birds
• Ransom County — 55,200 commercial turkey meat birds

Oklahoma

• Adair County — 51,600 commercial broiler breeder birds

Oregon

• Jackson County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Malheur County — 8 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Union County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds

South Dakota

• Beadle County — 41,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 50,900 commercial turkey meat birds; 15,200 commercial turkey meat birds
• Charles Mix County — 65,300 commercial turkey meat birds; 32,400 commercial turkey meat birds
• Faulk County — 56,400 commercial turkey meat birds
• Hutchinson County — 42,900 commercial turkey meat birds
• Lake County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
• McPherson County — 78,200 commercial turkey meat birds
• Moody County — 46,700 commercial turkey meat birds
• Spink County — 41,400 commercial turkey meat birds

Tennessee

• Gibson County — 37,700 commercial broiler breeder birds

Utah

• Piute County — 37,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 35,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 35,000 commercial turkey meat birds
• Salt Lake County: 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Sanpete County — 51,800 commercial turkey meat birds
• Utah County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds

Washington

• Okanogan County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Snohomish County — 170 WOAH poultry birds
• Stevens County — 130 WOAH non-poultry birds
• Whatcom County — 40 WOAH non-poultry birds

In total, 8.97 million birds have been impacted in Dec. 2024.

What Producers Can Do

Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds, says USDA. The department has a list of tools producers can use to help with biosecurity measures.

APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials on joint incident responses. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system.

Signs of avian influenza include: birds dying without clinical signs; lack of energy; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, and hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. USDA has a resource with images to help identify discoloration and other clinical signs.

If farmers have a bird they believe has passed away because of avian influenza, state officials encourage them to double bag the bird and refrigerate to preserve it for testing.

Avian influenza is not a foodborne illness and does not pose a food-safety risk.