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State veterinarian updates committee on avian influenza spread, dairy testing and surveillance needs
Summary
Washington State veterinarian briefed the committee on continued spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), surveillance findings in wildlife and domestic animals, dairy testing, and needs for lab capacity, composting infrastructure and mental‑health support for producers and responders.
Dr. Amber Ittle, the Washington state veterinarian at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, gave the committee a wide‑ranging update on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during a Jan. 31 work session, summarizing surveillance, recent spillovers to mammals, dairy testing and response needs.
Ittle emphasized surveillance importance and that migrating waterfowl are the principal reservoir; she said Washington’s wildlife sampling found substantial prevalence in hunter‑harvested birds and warned that wildlife detections often presage spillover into domestic poultry. “We rely on producers, veterinarians and wildlife partners to report things that don't look right,” she said.
State counts and detections: Ittle told the committee that nationwide surveillance has identified widespread HPAI and that “139,000,000 birds have died at this point from the…
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