February 13, 2004

 

 

US Bird Flu Spreads To New Jersey Live Chicken Markets

 

The bird flu virus in the United States has found its way into four live chicken markets in New Jersey, just days after the outbreaks at two Delaware farms.

 

New Jersey health officials stressed that the findings are not unusual for the state's live poultry markets and claim that the strain is not harmful to humans.

 

Nancy Halpern, the state veterinarian, said the markets likely got the virus from one of the many farms and distributors who supply them. New Jersey has about 35 live chicken markets across the state.

 

"We believe the virus is coming to," Halpern said. "They can be doing everything right and still have a market that tests positive."

 

Halpern said the state tested the markets in late January, as it typically does every winter, and results have been received for about half the sites. She wouldn't identify the markets where the strain was found.

 

Markets found to be infected are instructed to sell off all birds, and then clean and sanitize all cages and equipment before reopening.

 

Officials said the strain found in New Jersey is the same one found at two farms in Delaware since last week. The strain isn't related to the virulent variety of avian influenza that is blamed for the deaths of at least 19 people in Vietnam and Thailand.

 

Clifton Lacy, commissioner of the state Department of Health and Senior Services, said there was only a small chance that the weak strain could mutate into a stronger form that could harm humans.

 

"The key is stringent sanitary measures on farms and culling the flocks," he said.

 

In Delaware, the disease was found last week on a farm in Kent County operated by an independent grower who sold to a live bird market in New York City.

 

Then on Tuesday, Delaware agriculture officials announced that tests confirmed avian flu on a second farm, saying it was a surprise that creates a "serious situation" for the region's poultry industry.

 

Even before the announcement about the second flock, China on Tuesday joined Poland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea in banning U.S. poultry imports because of the previous discovery. Hong Kong had banned the import of live birds and poultry from Delaware only. Russia also temporarily banned Delaware imports.

 

Exports account for about 20% of the U.S. poultry industry.