Contagious And Deadly Bird Flu Detected In West Michigan

Michigan officials have confirmed the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County, western Michigan.

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This is the fourth time the virus has been found in a Michigan commercial poultry operation since 2022.

Contagious And Deadly Bird Flu Detected In West Michigan

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), the infected facility has been placed under quarantine and the birds will be killed to prevent the virus from spreading to other birds.

MDARD has given guidance to poultry owners to protect their flocks, including preventing contact between domestic and wild birds, disinfecting equipment, and securing feed.

This detection comes just a week after the virus was found in a dairy cow in Montcalm County, Michigan.

In that case, the source of the infection was traced back to cattle that had been transported from an affected premises in Texas.

See More: What Is The State Dog For Michigan?

Can Humans Contract The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

While the public health risk from this outbreak remains low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported the first known case of a human contracting the HPAI virus in the United States.

That individual, who was in Texas, had been exposed to infected dairy cattle.

Will This Outbreak Affect Chicken At Grocery Stores

The Avian influenza outbreaks can have significant economic impacts on the poultry industry.

When a group of birds tests positive they must be destroyed which can cause an egg and meat supply.