For the first time since August, poultry shows, where people could buy and sell live birds, are permitted in North Carolina.

Jennifer Kendrick, spokesperson with the Department of Agriculture said the shows were banned to prevent the spread of the highly pathogenic avian flu.

“Last year in the Midwest 50 million birds either died or were depopulated related to the high pathogenic avian influenza outbreak,” she said. “There was a lot of concern over the summer and into the fall when all the birds were up in Canada together that when they came south it would be introduced into North Carolina by the migratory birds.”

The ban was lifted because there had not been a case in the United States since June. However last week a case of the highly pathogenic avian flu was discovered in Indiana, which could bode ill for lovers of poultry shows.

“We haven’t changed that lifting of the ban,” she said. “It’s still lifted as of now, but we’re waiting to see if it spreads anywhere in Indiana.”

The department has also taken other measures to prevent the possible spread of the virus. In August, the department added a requirement for small flock owners to register their flocks. The measure was put in place to help the department plan and make it easier to alert owners about an outbreak.

“We required it, but we weren’t pushing anyone too hard or fining anyone for not being part of it and that was listed as well,” she said. “However we do hope that people continue to be a part of it and register if they haven’t.”

Kendrick urged poultry owners to be on the lookout and keep up their biosecurity measures.

“One of the biggest signs and one of the things that makes this so dangerous is sudden death,” she said. “If all of the sudden part of your flock is dying, that’s a big warning sign because that’s definitely out of character.”

She said lack of energy or apatite, decreased egg production or misshapen eggs are also signs of the disease.

For more information on the avian flu, visit the Department of Agriculture’s website.