Avian Flu Found Beyond Delaware
A strain of bird flu that is devastating to commercial chicken flocks but not harmful to humans has spread into Pennsylvania and more cases may be found in Delaware, agriculture officials in both states said Thursday.
The disease also was confirmed in four small poultry markets in northeastern New Jersey, a state which has had the disease for a dozen years and doesn’t have any large, commercial flocks, state officials said.
The H7 avian influenza in the three states is different from the H5N1 virus that has devastated flocks in 10 nations in Asia. That outbreak has killed 19 people.
“The form of avian influenza in New Jersey is not a human health threat,” said state health commissioner Clifton Lacy.
A dozen nations have banned all or some U.S. poultry shipments since the first infected flock was found last week in Delaware.
The Pennsylvania infection was found in a flock of nearly 500,000 egg-producing hens, which was immediately quarantined. The birds, which have not shown any physical signs of illness, may be destroyed depending on further testing.
In Delaware, officials said they hoped the disease was contained but couldn’t rule out more cases.
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