The U.S. Division of Agriculture on Friday confirmed the primary case of a extremely pathogenic sort of avian influenza in a wild chicken since 2016 in South Carolina.
The virus, Eurasian H5 avian influenza, was present in a wild duck that was hunted in Colleton County, within the southern a part of South Carolina, officers stated.
The USDA stated it’s figuring out the precise pressure of the virus and outcomes needs to be obtainable within the subsequent few days. One case of the H7N3 pressure of extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was present in a business turkey flock in South Carolina in 2020.
The Eurasian H5 sort is taken into account a low threat to individuals however may be harmful for the poultry trade, South Carolina officers stated. No human infections from Eurasian H5 viruses have occurred in the US, they stated.
The USDA suggested poultry producers to evaluation security measures to guarantee the well being of their flocks. Wild birds can carry avian flu with out exhibiting signs and transmit it to poultry by their feathers or feces.
“Up to now now we have no indication that HPAI has jumped from wild migratory birds to poultry and we’d very very like to maintain it that method,” stated Michael Neault, South Carolina’s state veterinarian.
The unfold of extremely pathogenic avian influenza, generally known as chicken flu, in Europe and Asia late final yr put poultry producers on alert after earlier outbreaks led to the culling of tens of hundreds of thousands of birds. Outbreaks additionally typically result in commerce restrictions.
In 2015, an outbreak of avian flu led to the deaths of about 50 million U.S. chickens and turkeys.
(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Modifying by Leslie Adler and Aurora Ellis)
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