The state has detected avian flu in Oahu’s wastewater treatment system and is advising Hawaii’s egg and poultry producers to be on the lookout for telltale signs of the disease.

Commonly known as bird flu, H5N1 bird flu can be fatal to humans and birds. It was detected during routine sampling on November 7 and confirmed on Tuesday.

No cases of illness have been reported in birds or humans in Hawaii and the overall risk to humans is low, according to the state Department of Health.

The state agriculture and health departments encourage residents to stay away from birds, livestock and wildlife as much as possible and ask farmers to watch for signs of symptoms.

There have been no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission of avian influenza in the United States, although there have been widespread infections among birds and mammals in the continental United States. These cases led to large-scale culling of flocks in the egg and poultry industry.

Veterinarian Raquel Wong, from the Ministry of Agriculture, said it was “really hard to say” whether the detection was cause for concern.

Hawaii has long had measures in place to control birds entering the state, requiring permits and isolation periods for those brought from the mainland.

Certain species of Migratory birds could transmit bird flu variants to Hawaiilike golden plovers, or kolea, which carry the virus but are not affected.

Avian flu is also a cold virus, which thrives in constant temperatures below 70 degrees.

Symptoms for birds include:

• Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
• Lack of energy and appetite
• Misshapen, soft-shelled eggs or decreased egg production
• Swelling of the hocks, eyelids, comb and wattles
• Purple discoloration of wattles, comb and legs
• Difficulty breathing
• Runny nose, coughing, sneezing
• Head and neck twisting
• Trip or fall
• Diarrhea

Poultry and bird owners who notice a high mortality rate in their flocks are encouraged to call the DOA at (808) 483-7102, or after hours at (808) 837-8092.

“Grown in Hawaii» is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, the Ulupono Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.