July 11, 2007

Bird flu in US state of Virginia forces poultry show cancellation

West Virginia's annual poultry festival was canceled after the state suspended all poultry shows and sales in the aftermath of bird flu in the neighbouring state of Virginia. 

Although the virus was found in another state, West Virginia's Poultry Association canceled the five-day festival because of the possibility of the virus spreading  when farmers from different areas bring their poultry to the show.

Virginia's low-pathogenicity bird flu was found in a turkey flock in Mount Jackson, Virginia. Officials stressed that it is not the same as the bird flu found in Southeast Asia and Europe. About 54,000 turkeys on the farm would be culled.