Photo courtesy of MDARD

ONTONAGON COUNTY – According to a press release from the Michigan Dept of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected in a backyard flock in Ontonagon County. The report followed an investigation by MDOARD and the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Ontonagon County Emergency Management and 911 Director Mike Kocher said he has no more information on the topic. “They wouldn’t even share with me where in the county or how large a flock. I mean, it was more guarded than any HPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) thing I’ve ever run into,” he said. “I know absolutely nothing other than what (MDARD) sent us. Hopefully maybe I’ll run into something that can give me at least a few more details, but I have absolutely zero, zip.”

Jennifer Holton, MDARD media contact, said MDARD is prohibited by state law. “Public Act 466, which is the animal industry act, specifies under law that we cannot disclose any identifiable information as part of an animal disease investigation,” Holton said, “so essentially, it is animal HPPA.”

According to MDARD, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly called “bird flu,” is a virus found among various species of birds. HPAI viruses can infect domestic poultry, which includes chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl.

The detection in Ontonagon County is the first case in poultry from an Ontonagon County flock since the virus was first detected in Michigan in 2022, says MDARD, and the first case in the U.P. since the spring of 2022 when four infected backyard flocks were found in Menominee County.