Bird flu reported in commercial flock in Washington state

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Wash. – A commercial case of bird flu has been reported for the first time this year in Washington.

The State Department of Agriculture said the producer, who has not been identified, reported sudden chicken deaths in one of their barns last week.

Samples taken from the flock came back as “presumptive positives” for avian influenza.

The barn was quarantined and the flock of chickens was humanely euthanized.

Washington has had a total of 37 flocks of birds infected with avian influenza in 2022, almost all within private, non-commercial farms.

State agriculture officials say that no infected poultry has entered the food supply system.