Bird flu found in western Wisconsin poultry flock
MINNEAPOLIS — Health officials in western Wisconsin announced on Thursday they discovered a case of bird flu in a poultry flock.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says it identified a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A, or H5N1, in Burnett County.
The birds on the property have since been depopulated to prevent the spread of the illness, officials say. Additionally, birds from the affected flock will not enter the food system.
Health officials say the risk to the general public remains low and while there are no food safety risks, they encourage proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees to kill the virus.
Last week, the Wisconsin Department of Health identified the first human case of bird flu in the state. The department said the case followed an infected flock of commercial poultry in Barron County. The person who contracted the disease had contact with the flock.
In Louisana, the Centers for Disease Control reported the first severe bird flu case in the U.S. That person had been exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.
Exposed workers at the Burnett County farm are being monitored for symptoms, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Health officials encourage livestock owners to implement measures to protect their flocks and herds from the disease by washing hands, disinfecting equipment, restricting access to animals and separating new additions to the flock or herd for at least 30 days.
Livestock owners in Wisconsin can keep track of control areas for reported bird flu cases in the state online.
