Health officials announce highly contagious bird flu detected in Whatcom County flock

BELLINGHAM — A backyard chicken flock in Whatcom County has tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to a Nov. 20 news release from the Whatcom County Health and Community Services.

The risk of bird flu transmission to humans is possible but remains low among the general public, according to the statement. The risk is higher to those who have direct contact with infected animals.

The flock that was affected contains about 20 birds of mixed-species of turkey, chicken and ducks. The rest of the birds in the flock have been “depopulated” to reduce the risk of spreading the disease, according to the release.

People who have repeated contact with a birds, such as hobbyists, agriculture workers and hunters are encouraged to wear protective equipment and to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. People with backyard birds are encouraged to reduce the birds’ exposure to wild animals.

There is currently no widely available vaccine for the bird flu. However, getting a seasonal flu vaccine each year can reduce the risk of co-infection, according to the release.

The county has monitored the spread of the bird flu since it was first detected in Washington in 2022. Currently, there are no confirmed cases of bird flu HS5NI in humans in Whatcom County. However, there have been positive tests for the virus in humans within Washington state and British Columbia.

People who have flocks should report their sick or dead domestic birds and livestock to the Washington State Department of Agriculture at 1-800-606-3056 or WILDCOMM@dfw.wa.gov.

People should avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals or their environment, surfaces contaminated with feces, nasal secretions, saliva or raw milk from potentially infected animals.