The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus, type 2, on a farm in Kula, Maui, the first confirmed detection of the disease in Hawaii.

Although fatal to rabbits, the disease cannot be transmitted from animals to humans and does not impact human health, officials said today.

On June 14, the state’s Animal Industry Division learned that nine out of 12 rabbits had died on the Maui farm, prompting the immediate issuance of a hold order to prevent movement of rabbits and associated cages and materials from the farm.

On June 17, state Department of Agriculture received confirmation of the infection in the rabbit tested from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and a formal quarantine order on the premises was issued by State Veterinarian Dr. Isaac Maeda.

The duration of the quarantine is expected to be 120 days after cleaning and disinfection are completed at the farm. The outbreak appears to involve a single farm and is not expected to spread, officials said.