bird flu

Highly Infectious Bird Flu Detected Flock of Backyard Birds in Central Illinois

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is urging bird owners and those involved in poultry production to take measures to protect flocks after a test confirmed the presence of avian flu in central Illinois.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly referred to as "bird flu," was detected in a non-commercial backyard flock of non-poultry in McLean County, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

State agriculture employees quarantine the affected premises, and birds on the properties were set to be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease, according to the USDA. The birds in question won't enter the food system, officials said.

Samples from the affected flock were sent to the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and results were confirmed at the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent detection doesn't present an immediate health concern, and no human cases of avian influenza viruses have been reported in the U.S.

Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds, the USDA said.

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