Lincoln County Chickens Infected With Avian Flu

NASHVILLE, TN — State officials announced Sunday that a deadly strain of avian flu has been detected in a chicken flock in Lincoln County, south of Nashville.

The particular strain of flu is "highly pathogenic" to chickens, turkeys and ducks, with a mortality rate north of 90 percent. The H7 HPAI virus can infect humans, though it is uncommon and most likely to occur in people with direct contact with infected birds.

The state says none of the infected animals entered the food supply and 73,500 chickens at the Tyson Foods facility where it was detected were euthanized, while other nearby poultry facilities are being quarantined.

“Animal health is our top priority,” the state veterinarian, Dr. Charles Hatcher, said. “With this HPAI detection, we are moving quickly and aggressively to prevent the virus from spreading.”

The detection, the first in Tennessee, is likely to effect the state's economy, Maria Prado, an animal science professor, told WKRN.

“Unfortunately, we are going to take a big hit not just for the state of Tennessee but in the country, because there will be some countries that will ban any product coming from the US. There wil be other countries that will be more flexible and allow exports from other states that are not affected,” she said.

Image via Pixabay