On May 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a non-commercial, backyard flock (non-poultry) in Linn County – the first confirmed case in Oregon since 2015.

HPAI (H5N1) is a highly contagious virus that transmits easily among wild and domestic bird species. However, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detection does not present an immediate public health concern.

A quick response is needed to prevent the spread of HPAI. The owner of the affected backyard flock reported the deaths and delivered at least one of the birds to Oregon State University’s (OSU) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for initial sample testing.

Samples were also sent to APHIS’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL). Meanwhile, ODA quickly quarantined the affected premises. ODA will humanely euthanize any additional birds on the property to prevent the spread of the disease.

Birds from this farm were not used for food and will not enter the food system. There are no detections in commercial poultry in the state.