Avian flu case found in commerical flock in southeast Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – The Nebraska Department of Agriculture confirmed another HPAI case on Tuesday.

The latest case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as HPAI, was found in a a commercial broiler flock in Johnson County, located in southeast Nebraska.

The latest report — the state’s sixth case detected this year — comes almost two weeks after the Nebraska officials reported two cases in backyard flocks. All but one of the Nebraska cases have been reported this month; the first case of the year was reported in Februrary.

Iowa also recently reported an additional case, found in a commercial egg-laying flock in O’Brien County, located in the northwest part of the state, near Sioux Center. The case, reported on Dec. 14, was Iowa’s fourth H5N1 HPAI case detected this month. A total of eight cases have been reported in the state this year.

HPAI symptoms can include birds that aren’t drinking water, are suffering from incoordination, or lacking energy or appetite; decreased egg production or laying eggs that are soft-shelled or misshapen; or birds with nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea.

Wild birds can also be succeptible to the virus, but Nebraska officials have previously noted that migratory birds can carry the virus without becoming sick at all.

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