(BIVN) – State health officials say H5 avian influenza has been detected for the first time on Hawaiʻi island.

The bird flu was found by the Hawai‘i Department of Health State Laboratories Division in a sample of influent collected from the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant on December 2.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) and the Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management both issued news releases about the bird flu finding on Tuesday, and are said to be working closely together on the matter.

According to the County, the sample was taken from the inflow into the treatment plant, before the treatment process. “The Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant uses a disinfection process, including chlorination, specifically designed to kill or inactivate viruses, such as bird flu,” the County said.

The health department said that wastewater testing cannot determine if the detection is specifically the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 subtype of bird flu virus which was recently found on Oʻahu. The DOH wrote:

The presence of the H5N1 virus in Hawaiʻi was first confirmed in November 2024 in a backyard flock of birds in Central Oʻahu. That virus strain was a different genotype of the virus that has infected birds and dairy cows on the U.S. mainland.

While the risk to the public remains low, HPAI can cause severe illness with a high mortality rate among certain bird populations such as poultry. Commercial poultry producers and residents with backyard flocks are strongly advised to increase biosecurity measures to reduce the likelihood of infection. HPAI can also infect dairy cows. While pasteurized milk is safe, raw milk should be avoided.

DOH says to report multiple or unusual illnesses in poultry, livestock, or other wild birds or animals, contact HDOA Animal Industry Division at 808-483-7102, Monday to Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 808-837-8092 during non-business hours and holidays.

Residents who believe they may have been exposed to sick birds or other wildlife should contact the Disease Outbreak Control Division Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586 for additional guidance, health officials say.