WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - During an investigation conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the officials detected highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry facility in Ottawa County.
The officials did not share specific details about the case. They stressed the need to tackle the virus spread to protect the health of domestic animals as well as the general public.
'Since this disease is capable of affecting animals and the people who care for them, it is important for farm workers to continue using personal protective equipment to protect themselves and their loved ones,' Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive, stated.
'Preventing spread from animals to humans is vital if we want to limit the impact of this virus.'
The affected facility has been quarantined, and the birds will be culled to prevent the virus spread, the officials informed in a statement.
'Slowing the spread of HPAI to protect human health is a top priority at MDARD,' MDARD Director Tim Boring said.
'Implementing on-farm biosecurity and expanding our HPAI surveillance efforts are key strategies to prevent opportunities for the virus to infect domestic animal species and potentially spread and become a more concerning human threat.'
This incident marks the second case of bird flu virus in a commercial poultry facility in Ottawa County since it was detected in Michigan for the first time in 2022.
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