35K Birds Impacted By New Avian Flu Outbreak In PA

PENNSYLVANIA — Tens of thousands of birds have been impacted by a new wave of avian flu infections in Pennsylvania, marking the first cases of 2023. Officials have issued warnings urging both residents and farmowners to take precautions to help prevent the spread of what has been a devastating contagion in the past.

The cases were reported in two separate locations within Lancaster County, at a commerical poultry farm and a commercial duck farm, accoridng to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Some 32,000 birds were impacted at the duck farm, and 3,200 at the poultry farm, the USDA said.

Pennsylvania is mobilizing multiple state departments and agencies to control the spread of the disease, which has already killed millions of birds in Pennsylvania in the past year alone. The state's $7.1 billion poultry industry is an enormous economic driver, and the ongoing spread of the flu has led to a swidespread response.

"This influenza presents unique challenges that, if not managed through a robust and coordinated approach, could devastate an industry that is an economic driver in Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Emergency Management Director Randy Padfield said in a statement. "Our role in resource coordination and support brings together experts in many areas to assist the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to accomplish that goal."

Eggs and other poultry products out of the state remain safe to eat, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has assured the public. Officials say the chances of infected chicken entering the food chain are "extremely low" because food facilities test for the virus so frequently. Poultry products are further inspected for disease several times on the way from the farm to the store.

The highly contagious and fatal disease hits domestic poultry the hardest. Impacted species include chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants, emus and ostriches. Wild species also can pick up the flu, as the flu was first detected in the state in a wild bald eagle in East Marlborough, Chester County, in March 2022.

Mass euthanasia is the typical first response of state responders. Agriculture officials continue to urge farmers to install enhanced biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.