Mississippi and federal officials have confirmed unreported outbreaks of avian flu strains in the United States since 2017, with quarantine and past efforts already underway.
In a statement released on March 12, the Mississippi Animal Health Board said poultry from chicken chicken from a commercial broiler breeder in Noxevie County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
“Province veterinarians are quarantining affected facilities, and property birds are depopulated to prevent the spread of disease. Birds from the flock are not in the food system,” the board said.
Mississippi Department of Health spokesman Greg Flynn confirmed with the hill that his department is aware of the outbreak and that no human cases have been reported.
The Animal and Plant Health Testing Service (APHIS) under the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the outbreak is associated with strain H7N9 and marks the first outbreak of this strain in commercial poultry in the United States since 2017.
“A flock of approximately 46,000 birds have experienced high mortality rates, and samples tested at the Mississippi Veterinary Research & Diagnostics Institute are members of the National Institutes of Animal Health Network and are estimated to be positive for HPAI and have since been confirmed at the National Institutes of Veterinary Services (NVSL) in Affith.”
Both the Mississippi Animal Health Commission and Affith said that the risk to the public remains low as the virus is not a food safety risk when eggs and poultry are properly handled and cooked. The Mississippi Board of Directors has called on poultry owners to practice “good biosecurity” and to recognize signs of avian flu symptoms.
