Avian influenza confirmed at Del. poultry farm

DOVER, Del. – Officials say a case of bird flu has been confirmed on a Delaware poultry farm.

Following an investigation by the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory has confirmed that poultry from this farm have tested positive for highly pathogenic H5NI avian influenza.

We’re told there is no public health concern, and avian influenza exposure would not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat.

“When there is a detection of avian influenza, because we are testing all the time to make sure there is no disease in poultry before they go out for processing once it’s detected that farm is quarantined and those birds do not make they don’t leave the farm,” said Delaware Department of Agriculture Communications Director Stacey Hofmann. 

Hofmann tells us the affected farm will have to cull 1.2 million boards and quarantine the farm in response to the detection of Avian Flu.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture and other partner agencies are working to contain the situation, including sampling and quarantining nearby poultry flocks.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers.

The farm is reportedly under quarantine to stop the spread of the virus to other flocks in the state. The birds on the affected farm will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease and will not enter the food system. Due to the severity of this virus, anyone found trespassing on a quarantined farm will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.