USDA ARS Washington State Department of Agriculture to host webinar Feb. 23 on how to protect flocks. Feb 09, 2021 The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will offer a free webinar to help poultry owners protect their birds from avian influenza as cases continue to increase worldwide. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reports ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, in 26 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. HPAI can spread rapidly and kill entire flocks. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently reported the current rates of HPAI in Asia and Europe are similar to the rates in 2014-2015, when HPAI was identified in the U.S., including Washington State, and thousands of birds had to be euthanized to contain the disease. This pattern suggests the risk of HPAI in the U.S. is elevated this year.