Avian Flu Emergency Ends In Sonoma County

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to terminate an emergency proclamation that has been in effect since Dec. 5, 2023, in response to the avian flu outbreak in Sonoma County— the most significant in the county's history.

The outbreak was first detected in late November at two local commercial poultry farms near Petaluma, where eggs have remained a big business since the early 1900s when the area came to be known as the egg capital of the world.

The outbreak resulted in the immediate euthanization of 250,000 birds to protect other flocks in the region and elsewhere in California. Overall, the virus affected 11 commercial producers in Sonoma County resulting in 1.2 million birds being euthanized at an estimated loss of $20 million in value and a reduction in egg production.

Avian flu has not been detected in commercial flocks within Sonoma County since Feb. 1, and quarantine periods for commercial producers have expired. With repopulation and recovery plans underway, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner recommended the supervisors terminate the local emergency proclamation.

“The avian flu has devastated local poultry farmers," said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board. "The avian flu has also had a tremendous impact on the production of local food, local feed suppliers, veterinarians, and the transportation sector. Now we turn to the recovery process and will continue to do everything possible to support our multi-generational family farmers."

To respond to the incident, the Sonoma County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures and the Department of Emergency Management partnered with the state Department of Food and Agriculture to establish a multi-department, multi-agency coordination team. The Board's emergency proclamation provided additional public safety and emergency services to help lessen the effects of the disaster and local emergency assistance for businesses impacted by the outbreak.

The spread of the virus is promoted by wild birds, especially wild waterfowl such as ducks and geese, though other wild bird species can also be a source of spread. As wild waterfowl migrate in the fall season, the movement of virus carriers increases.

Although avian influenza is highly contagious and is often fatal for birds, the detected strain is considered low risk to human health, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, three people have been sickened by the avian flu since 2022.

Clinical signs of the disease in birds include sudden death; trouble breathing; clear runny discharge from the nose, mouth and eyes; lethargy; decreased food and water intake; swelling eyes, head, wattles or combs; discolored or bruised comb, wattles or legs; and stumbling, falling or a twisted neck.

Since 2022, infected birds in Sonoma County have included the Common Raven, Snow Goose, Sanderling, Red-Tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture and Canada Goose.

Authorities urge people to report any unusual or suspicious dead wild birds to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Poultry owners with flocks that have experienced any unusual or suspicious illness or deaths should call the Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-BIRD (2473).

READ MORE:

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