SPARKS, Nev. -
January 31, 2025The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services is taking additional action in an effort to prevent the spread of avian influenza. Dairy cattle premises in Nye and Churchill Counties have been placed under quarantine due to detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory is continuing testing to confirm what strain of virus has been detected in Churchill County. Preliminary results show this detection to be consistent with a strain that has also been detected in wild birds in all North American flyways.
"The challenge with this virus is that it may be spread through contaminated clothing worn and equipment shared between animals, but birds carrying the disease can also infect domestic animals and livestock," said NDA Director J.J. Goicoechea, DVM. "We cannot stress enough how important it is to keep equipment clean, practice good animal health safety practices, and bolster biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of disease."
The USDA Wildlife Services will begin surveillance and testing wildlife for HPAI to better determine which strain and how it is spreading. The NDA has been conducting surveillance on milk silos to detect the virus before dairy cows may begin showing signs of symptoms, as part of the National Milk Testing Strategy.
To help prevent the spread of HPAI, the NDA and USDA Wildlife Services will begin removing non-native European starling populations in Churchill, Pershing and Lyon Counties. Due to their large numbers, the birds are a nuisance population and spread disease and contaminate food and water sources for animals, putting them at risk of HPAI, salmonella, E. Coli infections and other diseases. The removal of these starling populations is critical to mitigating the spread of disease.
In the event that the public finds dead or dying birds during the removal, Wildlife Services recommends handling the birds with single-use gloves and disposing of them in the trash, as they may be carriers of HPAI. While the pesticide used in the removal of starlings is not harmful to pets, due to the risk of HPAI, it is recommended that pets be kept away from the dead birds. The dead birds do not need to be reported. Residents unable to dispose of the starlings may call the USDA at (775) 851-4848 and provide the location of the birds by address.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that the risk to humans remains low and the NDA is working with state and county health officials to protect human health and safety.
"The protection of public and animal health is our utmost priority," said Director Goicoechea.
Dairy and meat products remain safe for consumption when cooked to the appropriate internal temperatures. In addition, the USDA has determined that pasteurized milk will not transmit the virus to humans. Raw milk is illegal in Nevada. More information on food safety is available at foodsafety.gov.
About the Nevada Department of Agriculture
The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) mission is to preserve, protect and promote Nevada's agriculture. The department has 225 dedicated employees providing services in its five divisions, Administrative Services, Animal Industry, Measurement Standards, Food and Nutrition, and Plant Health and Compliance. The department's $288 million budget facilitates regulatory and administrative work in agriculture and food manufacturing industries, protecting public and environmental health and worker safety, and providing food distribution and oversight for the United States Department of Agriculture's school and community nutrition programs.
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