OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Wednesday morning, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced one confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard flock in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
Hours after the announcement, the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium decided to close its aviary out of an abundance of caution to protect its collection of birds, and human visitors, alike.
At this time, only one domestic bird was confirmed to have contracted HPAI in Pottawattamie County, and though the virus is transmissible to humans, there are no current human infections of avian flu anywhere in the US. HPAI can be spread through bird droppings and even can rise from disturbed dust or soil, so contaminants can be spread by simple stepping where the virus is present.
Beyond the prevention of public access to the aviary, the Henry Doorly Zoo is implementing safety measures for staff who care for the birds, such as designated boots to enter bird holding areas and not allowing outside items that may have come in contact with wild birds. All birds that have indoor holding areas will be locked inside. Since the large aviary is open-air, enclosed only by netting so that animals don't come in or out, it is difficult for the zoo to move birds out of the aviary and it is being treated as a "quarantine zone" to the general public.
Other local organizations distributed their own announcements in relation to the avian flu case. Pottawattamie County's Emergency Management Department, a division of Homeland Security, addressed the matter in a press release and said the case is categorized as a low risk of transmission to humans by the CDC.
“Local, state, and federal plans developed to respond to these kinds of incidents are being implemented and there is no immediate public health or food-related safety concern at this time,” said Doug Reed, director of emergency management, in the press release.
The Council Bluffs HPAI case also prompted a response from Nebraska's State Veterinarian, Dr. Roger Dudley, and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
“While we have not seen HPAI in Nebraska since 2015, protecting the health of poultry in the state is a top priority,” said Dudley in a Nebraska Dept. of Agriculture press release. “It’s important for poultry owners to know about this disease, take the necessary steps to help prevent its spread, and protect Nebraska’s poultry industry.”
All poultry that enters Nebraska must be accounted for with paperwork, and those wishing to ship poultry out of Nebraska must consult the state veterinarian of the destination of shipment state.
As for the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the aviary will be closed until further notice. The zoo advises that anyone who has chickens follow good biosecurity, with tips provided from the USDA's Defend the Flock Program. Wild birds can contract avian influenza and survive even without obvious symptoms, but the virus can be deadly for domestic birds.
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