Pennsylvania is bracing for a potential outbreak of bird flu as hundreds of thousands of people gather at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. The state Department of Agriculture has taken extra precautions to prevent transmission, including requiring milk processors and shippers to test samples from bulk milk tank trucks.
As of December 31, there have been no reported cases of bird flu in cattle or humans in Pennsylvania. However, 32 commercial flocks, 39 backyard flocks, and over 4.7 million birds statewide have been affected by the outbreak since 2022. The state has spent $30 million on testing and reimbursement for farmers to control the spread.
Nationally, over 100 million chickens and turkeys have been slaughtered to prevent an outbreak, but those efforts have largely failed as the virus has mutated to infect cows and increase transmission to humans. 875 herds of cattle in 16 states have tested positive, with more than 60 people infected.
Risk to humans remains low, with only 34 reported cases in California since March. Pennsylvania’s government is taking aggressive measures to protect its dairy and poultry industries, including testing on farms and at live bird markets.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show, which attracts over 500,000 attendees annually, will have limited live bird exhibits and require veterinary inspections for all animals entering the event. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are working on a vaccine using messenger RNA technology to protect humans and animals from the H5N1 virus.
Source: https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/bird-flu-pennsylvania-prevention-emergency-20250102.html