Bird flu detected in Hawaiʻi County

Bird flu has made its way to Hawai‘i Island.

Hawaiʻi County and Hawai’i Department of Health reported late Tuesday afternoon that H5 avian influenza was detected in influent collected Dec. 2 from the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant.

This is the first time the bird flu was detected on the Big Island and the first detection of H5 avian influenza on a neighbor island.

Wastewater testing cannot determine if the sample found at the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant is specifically the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus recently found on Oʻahu.

A disinfection process, including chorination, designed to kill or inactivate viruses such as the bird flu is used at the Hilo treatment plant; however, the sample containing the H5 avian influenza virus was taken from the inflow coming into the treatment plant, prior to the treatment process.

State Health Department officials said the risk to public health remains low, but highly pathogenic avian influenza can cause severe damage to certain bird populations.

Bird flu — a major threat to the poultry industry, animal health, trade and the economy worldwide caused by influenza type A viruses — varies in severity depending on the strain, much like flu viruses that prefer to attack humans, and the bird species infected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza strains are deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks within a matter of days.

The state Health Department increased the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant’s testing frequency from once a week to twice to monitor the situation and ensure timely future detection and response.

“We understand the community’s concerns and are committed to providing updates as we work alongside [the state Department of Health] and other partners,” the Hawai‘i County Department of Environmental Management said in its announcement about the bird flu detection.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed twice in birds since bird flu was first detected in Hawai‘i in November on O‘ahu.

A wild hybrid duck (part mallard) on O‘ahu’s North Shore was the state’s first confirmed wild case Nov. 25. Wild birds that can carry highly pathogenic avian influenza include waterbirds such as ducks, geese, swans and shorebirds, and the viruses can easily spread from wild birds to domesticated poultry.

The first bird flu cases in Hawai’i were confirmed Nov. 15 at a bird sanctuary in Wahiawā, O’ahu. At least 10 birds had died by Nov. 12 at the property, including ducks, a goose and a zebra dove.

There is no treatment for highly pathogenic avian influenza; the only way to stop the disease among poultry operations is to depopulate all infected and exposed birds.

A total of 70 birds were depopulated at the Wahiawā bird sanctury, as per a Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture quarantine order, and the property was sanitized.

The sanctuary is within the area served by the Wahiawā Wastewater Treatment Plant, where the H5 avian influenza virus was first detected anywhere in the state Nov. 7 in a wastewater sample.

Hawai‘i was the last state in the nation to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The most plausible route of introduction is through the Pacific flyway, a migratory path that includes the islands.

The two Wahiawā detections were identified as the Eurasian strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which is associated with migratory birds and a different genotype than the virus that has infected birds — and dairy cows, which highly pathogenic avian influenza can affect — on the U.S. mainland.

Most common songbirds or other birds, such as cardinals, sparrows and pigeons, do not usually carry bird flu viruses that are dangerous to poultry or people.

Hawai’i County Environmental Management and the state are working together closely after the detection of bird flu at the wastewater treatment facility in Hilo.

Contact Environmental Management at 808-961-8800 from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday throough Friday for any wastewater questions or concerns.

Commercial poultry producers and residents with backyard flocks are strongly advised to increase biosecurity measures to reduce the possibility of bird flu infection.

Information for poultry and bird owners about how to increase biosecurity for their flocks can be found at the state Agriculture Department website.

To report multiple or unusual illnesses in poultry, livestock or other wild birds or animals, contact the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture Animal Industry Division at 808-483-7102 from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday or 808-837-8092 during non-business hours and holidays.

Here are some additional resources about bird flu:

• Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture Animal Disease Control
• Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture Avian Influenza: Biosecurity in The Context of Animal Agriculture
• Hawai‘i Department of Health avian influenza information
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

While the risk to the public is low, residents who think they might have been exposed to sick birds or other wildlife should call the Hawai‘i Department of Health Disease Outbreak Control Division Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586 for additional guidance.