State officials are urging vigilance after Hawaii’s first detection of H5N1 in a flock of rescued pet geese and ducks in Wahiawa.
The outbreak, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser learned, occurred at Susie’s Duck Sanctuary, a nonprofit started two years ago by Susan Wilkinson to rescue abandoned ducks and geese in the state.
Wilkinson was devastated when her flock in Wahiawa suddenly started to become ill, with some, including Hector, a beloved goose rescued from a shopping center, dying right in her yard.
She said the birds just got sick quickly, with symptoms such as loss of appetite, lack of energy, some eye infections and “radiator-fluid” green poop. She thought at first it might have been due to poisoning from pesticides.
“Take this seriously,” said Wilkinson. “This is not a joke. This is not a conspiracy. Quarantine your stock, be careful and be protective because it’s here. It’s real.”
As one bird after another got sick, she contacted her veterinarian, who then reached out to the state Department of Agriculture.
HDOA confirmed after testing at least 10 birds on the property, including ducks, geese and a wild zebra dove, that the dreaded H5N1 virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, was to blame.
The state Department of Health on Friday reported this first known detection of HPAI in a backyard flock in the state, days after announcing the first detection of H5 in wastewater.
DOH said the virus matched the strain that has infected dairy cows and domestic poultry on the mainland.
Wilkinson was inspired to start her nonprofit after her experience years ago rescuing Daffy, an orphaned baby Muscovy duckling who became known for her surfing ability.
Wilkinson said she does not want anyone else to experience the same heartbreak and loss to the virus, having no idea it was H5N1 until “it was too late.” All animals at the sanctuary, including two pet lovebirds, were euthanized, she said.
The site has been disinfected and is under quarantine for the next few months — and Wilkinson is unsure of the nonprofit’s future.
While HPAI causes severe illness and a high number of deaths among affected birds, DOH says the risk to humans remains low, as sustained human-to-human transmission has not been reported in the U.S.
Still, on Sunday, DOH notified the public, out of an abundance of caution, of potential exposure at a Mililani Pet Fair held Nov. 2.
Susie’s Duck Sanctuary was among animal rescue groups that attended the fair, along with the Oahu SPCA and Cat Fanciers of Hawaii Club, according to the flyer.
Certain birds from the infected flock were at the fair, according to DOH, although the first signs of infection did not occur until several days later.
DOH recommends that people who touched a duck or goose at the fair monitor for symptoms such as cough, sore throat or pinkeye.
Symptoms of avian influenza in humans usually develop within two to five days of exposure but in some cases can take up to 10 days.
Dr. Isaac Maeda, state veterinarian, said the department continues to investigate the potential source of the virus.
The HDOA is working with federal partners to enhance surveillance testing of wildlife around the area and Oahu for the virus.
Although 10 birds, including a pet mallard and pet Muscovy duck, were tested, he acknowledged there were likely more cases at the site. No chickens were at the site, he said.
The zebra dove that tested positive was from the wild and not a pet.
“As far as what it means to a person keeping poultry, remain vigilant if you see anything unusual,” Maeda said. “You have your birds, you know their routines. If there’s unusual illnesses or deaths, by all means notify your vet.”
Those with pet birds should increase biosecurity measures — for instance, keeping them indoors to minimize interactions.
The state also has reached out to veterinarians to be alert for signs of H5N1 now that it has been confirmed here in Hawaii.
When the Aloha Animal Sanctuary in Kahaluu learned of the confirmed detection of H5N1, the nonprofit immediately suspended tours, volunteer days and events at its site.
Executive Director Rocio “Chio” Tapia said the sanctuary wants to keep safe its rescued animals, which include pigs, Bala the recently rescued baby goat, along with resident chickens, ducks and Coco the turkey.
“We immediately, for lack of a better word, freaked out,” Tapia said. “We have so much foot traffic and so many things going on, we were scared. … Luckily, we haven’t had any sicknesses or sudden deaths here.”
But there are plenty of wild chickens and doves that could put the sanctuary birds at risk, she said, and the nonprofit is reinforcing its enclosures and spraying shoes with bleach. Fundraising has shifted online.
She said Susie’s had taken in Fern, a Muscovy duck in need of care from the sanctuary. Unfortunately, Fern died due to the outbreak.
HDOA said a veterinarian conducted necropsies on the dead birds in Wahiawa and sent samples to both the DOH State Laboratories Division and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.
Both confirmed the detection of HPAI among the dead birds.
“We still haven’t received full genetic determination on the virus that leads in one direction,” he said. “Right now it’s kind of pointing to, most likely, a wild bird type of introduction. If it’s a wild bird introduction, generally, you’re looking at migratory birds.”
Maeda said commercial poultry farms — and those with backyard chickens — should increase their biosecurity by minimizing interactions with wild birds and contact with humans.
Some commercial poultry farms test frequently for avian influenza, and others not as much, he said — but an infection in a layer house quickly results in no eggs and wipes out the flock.
This is what HDOA hopes to prevent, as a widespread outbreak could have a potentially devastating impact on the industry.
On Oahu, only a handful of local egg producers remain: the OK Poultry Farm in Waimanalo; Maili Moa in Waianae, which sells Shaka Moa eggs; Mikilua Poultry Farm, which sells Ka Lei Eggs and Hawaiian Maid eggs; and Villa Rosa, which sells Waialua Fresh eggs.
The family-run Petersons’ Upland Farm in Wahiawa closed in February after 114 years in business.
On the Leeward side, Minda Takaki, owner of the family-run Maili Moa egg farm, said she was not too worried about the H5N1 detection.
“We follow a strict biosecurity, and all my workers know exactly what to do,” she said, “and we don’t have any wild birds around us.”
Takaki said she does not believe in living in fear, and that the farm is federally and USDA-inspected, and follows strict regulations.
According to the Pacific Daily News, Guam has now banned live poultry and hatching eggs from Hawaii due to recent reports of HPAI detected in the state.
On the mainland, meanwhile, the USDA lists 549 confirmed cases among cattle in 15 states.
There are now 53 confirmed avian influenza cases in humans, 27 of them in California, where more than a third of dairy herds have been infected.
The state Health Department emphasizes that people in Hawaii are unlikely to get sick from H5N1 influenza at this time.
“H5N1 infection in humans on the U.S. mainland have been reported almost exclusively among workers who have close contact with infected animals,” said DOH.
The most common symptoms of avian flu in humans are pinkeye, along with fever, sore throat and cough. Antiviral treatment for avian flu in humans is available, DOH said, but works best when taken as soon as symptoms begin.
