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ASIAN BIRD FLU NO CAUSE FOR PANIC
Although bird flu has been dominating headlines from Asia recently, there is no reason for West Virginians who raise poultry to panic, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
“I am certainly concerned with the situation in Asia, but there is no sign of that strain [H5N1] of avian influenza in this country,” said Commissioner Douglass. “The commercial poultry flocks here are under constant surveillance for a wide variety of diseases, so I’m confident that we would quickly detect any sign of disease.”
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) Moorefield laboratory analyzes samples on a daily basis to confirm the state’s disease-free status.
WVDA works with poultry producers to maintain an updated protocol to protect the agricultural community in the event of a disease outbreak. It provides education on biosecurity issues to growers to help them protect themselves from disease threats. The Department has also conducted extensive emergency training and exercises for employees.
Experts in Asia believe the disease is being spread by migratory waterfowl, an issue that could be problematic should H5N1 appear in America. In West Virginia and elsewhere, many people keep “backyard flocks” of poultry for their own use. Those birds seldom receive the veterinary care that commercial flocks do and they can more readily come into contact with wild birds.
WVDA recommends that owners of these flocks also practice good biosecurity protocols and report any unusual signs of illness to the State Veterinarian or WVDA’s Moorefield office. For more information, call 304-558-2214 or 304-538-2397.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant,
animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory
and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The
Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials
in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the
longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more
information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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