Bird Flu Confirmed In Commercial Chickens In Kentucky, Backyard Flock In Virginia: USDA

FAUQUIER COUNTY, VA — Federal officials have confirmed cases of the bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, in birds in Fauquier County, Virginia, and Fulton County, Kentucky.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the cases in a flock of commercial broiler chickens in Kentucky and a backyard flock of mixed-species birds in Virginia. Officials believe that these are the first recorded bird flu cases in the U.S. in 5 years.

USDA officials said there have not been any cases of humans contracting the avian influenza so far. They also noted that birds from the infected flocks would not enter the food system.

State health officials in Virginia and Kentucky quarantined the areas where the infected birds lived. The USDA said birds on the affected properties would be slaughtered. The process has already been completed in Virginia.

In total, 71 birds from Fauquier County were killed, in addition to 246,000 broiler chickens from Kentucky, the USDA said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is not an immediate public health concern as a result of the avian influenza.

"While CDC considers the current risk to the general public from these HPAI A(H5) virus detections in U.S. wild birds and poultry to be low, risk depends on exposure," the CDC said in a news release. "Sporadic human infections with HPAI A(H5) bird flu viruses in the U.S. resulting from close contact with infected birds/poultry would not be surprising given past human infections."

Still, the virus would have to "sustained human-to-human spread" to become a public health concern, the CDC said.

Federal and state health officials are working on surveillance and testing in the areas around the affected flocks. "The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations," the USDA said in a news release.

The USDA urged bird owners to use caution to prevent any spread of the virus. Bird owners are encouraged to prevent contact between their animals and wild birds.

Health officials also said that bird owners can report any illnesses or unusual deaths by calling 1-866-536-7593.