HARRISBURG (TNS) — A fourth farm in Lancaster County has been impacted by the highly-contagious strain of avian influenza, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
About 50,300 birds at an unnamed commercial boiler production operation in the county were destroyed as a result of the virus or related depopulation, according to the USDA website.
Lancaster County is the only county in the state to report avian influenza cases. A total of about 3.5 million birds in the state have been affected.
The state’s first positive case in poultry was detected on April 15 at a farm in East Donegal Township, which is home to nearly 1,700 of Pennsylvania’s more than 10,300 poultry operations. The farm euthanized 1.4 million chickens in response to the detection.
An additional two farms in the county had to destroy poultry last week after avian influenza was detected.
While avian influenza poses no risk to the public, state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said Monday thaty the need to stay vigilant is a priority not only for the poultry farmers but for food supply issues as well.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission in late March reported the first detection of the disease in Pennsylvania, in a wild bald eagle found dead in East Marlborough Township, Chester County.
Despite the spread of the avian flu at poultry farm, the state Department of Agriculture has said chicken and other poultry products remain safe to eat.
