Highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in a backyard flock of mixed poultry in northeastern Indiana, the farthest east the disease was been identified since the epidemic began last Dec. 14, said the USDA. The outbreak occurred in Whitley County, about 25 miles west of Fort Wayne. State official quarantined the property and said the flock would be destroyed as a precaution against spread of the disease.
Since the first case was reported in a captive gyrfalcon in Washington State, avian influenza was found in 143 flocks in 14 states and has affected 29.9 million fowl, according to the USDA’s running tally. Iowa, the No. 1 egg state, and Minnesota, the top turkey producer, have been hit the hardest.
More than 23 million birds, mostly egg-laying hens, have been hit in Iowa since the disease was first confirmed on April 20, according to the department’s running tally, and in Minnesota there have been nearly 80 cases affecting 4.2 million fowl, mostly turkeys.
The current epidemic is the worst of four known outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza; “highly pathogenic” means the virus has a high mortality rate. The disease can wipe out a flock in 48 hours. Until now, the worst outbreak was in 1983-84, when 17 million chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl were destroyed in the Northeast, says the USDA. Outbreaks in 1924 and 2004 were contained quickly. So far, avian influenza is expected to have limited impact on retail prices.