Hawaii Health Department launches survey on avian influenza
The Hawaii Department of Health is inviting Hawaii residents with backyard flocks or involved in bird rescues to participate in a survey aimed at gathering important data and valuable insights on awareness and preparedness.
DOH hopes to collect critical information on these residents' understanding of bird flu and their practices and needs.
'We want to better understand the potential exposures that backyard flock owners and bird rescuers face when it comes to avian influenza, so we can help prevent future human bird flu infections in partnership with the community, ' said state Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble in a news release. 'By reaching out through both digital and in-person methods, we hope to get wide participation and honest feedback.'
The survey is anonymous, and accessible online at.
DOH is asking only Hawaii residents who keep at least one poultry bird at home, who are involved in bird rescues, or have had direct direct contact with birds in the past year for other reasons to participate at this time.
Hawaii first detected and confirmed H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard flock of waterfowl at in Wahiawa in mid-November. At the time, pet ducks, geese and a wild zebra dove had tested positive for H5N1, and approximately 70 birds were euthanized.
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A wild duck on Oahu's North Shore that was randomly tested that month also was confirmed to carry the H5N1 virus.
Despite H5N1 detection in wastewater on Kauai and Hawaii island, no outbreaks among birds have yet been reported on those islands. There have been no confirmed outbreaks among commercial poultry farms in Hawaii.
Avian influenza, however, continues to infect flocks across the U.S. Over the past 30 days, there have been 110 commercial and backyard flocks confirmed to have H5N1, affecting 12.7 million birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The virus has also impacted dairy cows, primarily in California, and infected dozens of different animals, including cats, black rats, mountain lions, bottlenose dolphins, and harbor seals, among others.
To date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 70 human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. since 2024. The first and only in the U.S. so far was reported in January in a backyard chicken owner in Louisiana.
DOH says the current risk to the general public in Hawaii remains low, but encourages residents to complete the survey as soon as possible to help it collect data and insights.
The survey link will also be posted to various Facebook groups dedicated to Hawaii backyard flock owners and bird rescuers. Additionally, flyers with QR codes that link to the survey will be distributed in poultry feed stores and animal care clinics.
Questions ? Contact the DOH Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586 or email.
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