The US Department of Agriculture has discovered an outbreak of bird flu in two more farms a week after the first case was detected. These new cases have placed the industry on high alert.
Bird flu Detected in US Farms
For some weeks, wild birds within the east coast have been reported to have this virus but recently, the virus was also detected in a poultry farm in Indiana, and from the recent report, it has also spread to two more farms in Virginia and Kentucky.
Bird flu often contracted by coming in contact with sick birds. It can also be passed from person to person. Due to the method at which this virus spreads, these reports are considered quite alarming and must be taken care of quickly to prevent the virus from spreading rapidly.
Although humans can contract this flu, no cases of the virus passing to humans have been reported. According to authorities, birds in these sites with this virus will be slaughtered to avoid the further spread.
The symptoms of this bird flu include; Cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, and shortness of breath, and it mostly begins within 2 to 8 days after contraction, as per Phys.org.
The authorities are on high alert and are putting every preventive measure necessary to stop the outbreak of this virus.
Also Read: 29,000 Turkeys Killed to Prevent a Highly Pathogenic Strain of Bird Flu in the U.S.
2015 Avian Flu Outbreak
In 2015, from March through mid-June, over 50 million birds were slaughtered due to the deadly outbreak of the virus.
This was a huge hit to the US and their poultry industry as over $3.3 billion was lost, and other countries immediately stopped the importation of poultry from the country. The disease affected 49.6 million birds and resulted in economic losses of $950 million.
The most affected area was Minnesota, the US, which was the largest turkey-producing state accounting for 18% of U.S. turkey production. During the outbreak over 211 farms in 15 states, from California to Indiana, were affected.
Currently, Europe is experiencing a massive outbreak of the virus, with over 21 million birds been slaughtered from italy to france since the ending of november.
Preventative Measures Increased on the East Coast
According to Verve Times, there has been a limitation of poultry import to other countries from these states recently affected. The spokesman for the National Chicken Council described even the smallest outbreak of this virus as really "worrying" as control and management are being placed on high alert.
Tyson foods, one of the largest chicken producers in the US has reduced the number of visitation in the farm and has increased their preventive measures specifically on the east coast of the United States after the release of its results on february 7.
Although the authorities expresses their concerns on this report and are fighting hard to prevent an outbreak, poultry farm owners are still on their toes taking every measures necessary to prevent the spread of the avian flu in their farm.
Related Article: Bird Flu Outbreak at Wildlife Center Claim the Lives of 3 Seals and a Fox
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