Nebraska agriculture officers say one other 1.8 million chickens have to be killed after hen flu was discovered on a farm within the newest signal that the outbreak that has already prompted the slaughter of greater than 50 million birds all through the US continues to unfold.
The Nebraska Division of Agriculture mentioned Saturday that the state's thirteenth case of hen flu was discovered on an egg-laying farm in northeast Nebraska's Dixon County, about 193km north of Omaha, Nebraska.
Similar to on different farms the place hen flu has been discovered this 12 months, all of the chickens on the Nebraska farm will probably be killed to restrict the unfold of the illness.
The US Division of Agriculture says greater than 52.3 million birds in 46 states — largely chickens and turkeys on industrial farms — have been slaughtered as a part of this 12 months's outbreak.
Nebraska is second solely to Iowa's 15.5 million birds killed with 6.8 million birds now affected at 13 farms.
In most previous hen flu outbreaks the virus largely died off throughout the summer time, however this 12 months's model discovered a method to linger and began to make a resurgence this fall with greater than six million birds killed in September.
The virus is primarily unfold by wild birds as they migrate throughout the nation. Wild birds can typically carry the illness with out displaying signs. The virus spreads via droppings or the nasal discharge of an contaminated hen, which might contaminate mud and soil.
Business farms have taken quite a few steps to stop the virus from infecting their flocks, together with requiring employees to vary garments earlier than coming into barns and sanitising vehicles as they enter the farm, however the illness could be tough to manage.
Zoos have additionally taken precautions and closed some reveals to guard their birds.
Officers say there may be little threat to human well being from the virus as a result of human circumstances are extraordinarily uncommon and the contaminated birds aren't allowed to enter the nation's meals provide. Plus, any viruses will probably be killed by correctly cooking poultry to 73C.
However the hen flu outbreak has contributed to the rising costs of hen and turkey together with the hovering value of feed and gas.
Hen that lives on only one island seen for first time since 1882