February 16, 2022

USDA reports new bird flu outbreaks

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has detected new bird flu cases at a flock of commercial broiler chickens in Fulton County, Kentucky state, and in a backyard flock of mixed-species birds in Fauquier County, Virginia state, Newsweek reported.

The new cases come days after 30,000 turkeys were ordered to be culled in Indiana state after they were found to be infected with the same highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain.

In a statement, APHIS said the birds will not enter the food system and has urged Americans involved with poultry production to review biosecurity measures and prohibit contact between farm birds and wild birds.

The agency said federal and state partners are collaborating on extra surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flocks.

-      Newsweek