Federal officials on Sunday confirmed an outbreak of bird flu on a chicken farm in Lincoln County, Tenn., marking the first such outbreak among commercial poultry in the United States this year.
The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service quarantined the farm, which produces chickens for Tyson Foods, as well as other chicken farms in the area. Tyson is reportedly testing all chicken flocks for the virus in a six mile radius of the farm where sickened chickens were first reported dead. The specific strain of the avian influenza virus has yet to be established, according to The New York Times.
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"The United States has the strongest avian influenza 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," said the USDA in a statement. "These virus strains can travel in wild birds without them appearing sick. People should avoid contact with sick [or] dead poultry or wildlife. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water and change clothing before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds."
A recent outbreak of avian influenza in China has infected 460 people since October, making it the largest epidemic of avian flu since 2013. Recently, Tim Uyeki, MD, a flu expert with the CDC, called the outbreak in China a cause for concern.
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