Public health workers in Tacoma and Pierce County are checking on employees of a commercial egg farm where bird flu was confirmed last week, the first time the virus has reached a commercial poultry flock in Western Washington since the current outbreak began in 2022. No human cases have been identified at the farm, and health officials describe the monitoring as a standard precaution.
The infected flock held about 47,000 egg-laying hens and was confirmed by USDA’s national veterinary laboratory on Nov. 4, Capital Press reported. The farm’s eggs were destroyed. State agriculture officials have not named the farm, citing a Washington law that shields the identity of operations during agricultural emergencies.
For households across the Seattle-Tacoma area, the practical concern is less about the grocery aisle and more about the backyard coop — especially for families who keep a few hens for eggs. Flock owners within 6 miles of the infected farm are now inside a state surveillance zone and are being asked to report on the health of their birds.
Worker Checks Follow a Standard Playbook
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