By Michele F. Mihaljevich

Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – A third Elkhart County commercial duck flock has tested positive for avian flu, bringing the number of ducks in the northern Indiana county that have been euthanized to more than 17,000, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH).

The most recent case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Elkhart County was confirmed April 20 and impacted about 6,600 ducks. The first case was confirmed April 8 and the second April 14. More than 11,000 ducks were destroyed at those two sites. The state is not naming the commercial operations involved.

In addition, more than 171,000 commercial turkeys at six operations in southern Indiana were euthanized after the disease was confirmed in February in Dubois (four operations) and Greene (two operations) counties. No new cases have been found in those counties since early March.

A 10-kilomoter control area is established around each HPAI-affected flock, according to BOAH. All commercial flocks in the control areas must be tested at least weekly for HPAI, the agency said. The state will be reaching out to owners of hobby or backyard flocks to schedule testing. BOAH said a surveillance zone is also established in the 10-kilomter circle beyond the control area. Flocks in the surveillance zone must be tested every other week.

Control areas established in Dubois and Greene counties have been lifted. The six operations remained under quarantine as of press time.

Denise Derrer Spears, BOAH public information director, said it was disheartening to learn the disease had been found in Elkhart County, given that several weeks had passed since the last case in southern Indiana.

“We know producers are working hard, doing the best they can,” she said. “Commercial producers know this is their livelihood. After the first six flocks, we went almost six weeks without a new case. We were cautiously optimistic. We saw the other cases popping up in other states. I feel for producers. They’ve been working hard.”

Migratory waterfowl appear to be the main source of spreading the disease, Spears said. “The thing we’re really pushing is biosecurity,” she explained. “Keep (the commercial flocks) separate from wild birds. Make sure you’re putting on special shoes and clothes (to enter areas where the flocks are located). All biosecurity all the time. It should be a way of life.”

For the most part, poultry flocks in the state are kept indoors, but producers who promote their poultry products as organic or free range have to give their birds some outdoor access, Spears noted. “That carries a lot of stress for producers as there are more opportunities for exposure in outdoor areas.”

Ventilation systems, which provide fresh air to the poultry, may also be a way for the disease to get in, she said.

The state has tested some wild birds for HPAI. About 220 samples from waterfowl, pigeons, European starlings and other species had been tested as of last week. Three birds were found to be positive – a bald eagle, a hawk and redhead duck.

Nationwide, HPAI has been found at commercial chicken, turkey and duck operations in 29 states, according to an USDA update released last week. The disease has also been found at hobby or backyard operations. The number of birds on confirmed infected premises totaled more than 31 million.

Some zoos across the country have taken measures to protect their birds from the disease, according to the Associated Press.

The Fort Wayne, Ind., Children’s Zoo is working closely with the state veterinary department and the USDA about guidance with the avian flu, said Bonnie Kemp, the zoo’s director of communication. The zoo will open for the season April 30.

“We anticipate when we open that any of the birds at the zoo that could come into contact with wild waterfowl will remain in their winter houses until we are given the all clear,” she wrote in an email to Farm World. “This includes our African black-footed penguins, peafowl, wattled cranes, marabou storks, white storks, ostrich, vultures, great white pelicans, black swans, Australian aviary and the dome in the Indonesian Rain Forest area.

“Our animal care staff, including vet team and keepers, are taking extra precautions with changing foot gear, gloves, work tools between animal exhibits, enhanced sanitation and foot baths as necessary.”

HPAI doesn’t present a food safety risk, BOAH said. Poultry and eggs are safe to eat. The disease presents a low risk to the health of the general public, the agency noted, adding rare human infections are possible.

BOAH has tips for people whose mental health might be impacted by the situation. Be Well Indiana is a free, confidential resource available to anyone in the state. Call 2-1-1, enter your zip code and then follow the prompts to reach the Crisis Hotline. The Farm Aid Farmer Hotline is available by calling 800-FARM-AID (800-327-6243). The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline also provides free, confidential support. Dial 9-8-8 or call 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255).