More than 4 million chickens in Iowa will need to be euthanized following the detection of a highly pathogenic bird flu case at a sizable egg farm, as announced by the state on Tuesday.
In Sioux County, Iowa, a farm has discovered the disease, prompting the crew to take action by euthanizing 4.2 million chickens. This incident is part of an ongoing outbreak that has been affecting dairy cattle as well. Another outbreak occurred last week at an egg farm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, resulting in the culling of approximately 1.4 million chickens.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a staggering 92.34 million birds have lost their lives since the outbreak commenced in 2022.
Bird flu, a disease that has been increasingly prevalent among poultry, has now raised concerns due to its spread to cattle. In a troubling development, a second dairy farmworker was diagnosed with bird flu in May, highlighting the potential risks associated with the virus. Furthermore, the virus has been detected in both beef and milk, raising alarm bells for the agriculture industry. This outbreak has been confirmed on dairy cattle farms in nine states, further highlighting the need for proactive measures to contain its spread.
Health and agriculture officials assure the public that the risk is minimal. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the meat from a single dairy cow affected by the illness was promptly removed from the food supply, ensuring the safety of beef consumption.
There is a higher risk for workers who come into contact with infected animals. In the United States, there have been three confirmed human cases so far. Two of these cases involved dairy workers, while the other case was a man working on a poultry farm and involved in slaughtering infected birds.
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