State puts response, recovery plans in place for avian influenza
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State officials have been working since February to put response and recovery plans in place in the event of an highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, state Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-South Fayette, said Monday.
The disease, which has no known impact to human health, was found in 20 other states. Nearly 50 million birds were killed by HPAI to date.
Officials want to reassure residents the food supply remains safe, according to a news release from Ortitay’s office.
Those working in the poultry industry are encouraged to take steps to protect themselves and their flocks from this potentially devastating disease by implementing biosecurity measures on their operations.
In December, two versions of avian influenza Type-A virus strains emerged – the highly pathogenic H5N2, which is responsible for over 95 percent of the infections associated with the present outbreak, and the highly pathogenic H5N8.
This disease has been moving west to east mainly through migratory birds from the Pacific to the Central flyway to the Mississippi flyway. The Atlantic flyway, which intersects with the Mississippi flyway and overlies Pennsylvania, has not yet shown birds with the virus.
State agriculture officials and industry members have been working since February to prepare for the possibility of HPAI entering Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in partnership with PennAg Industries, academia and other industry leaders, convened an HPAI Task Force, which holds weekly conference calls to discuss preparedness plans. Part of the planning includes steps for depopulation and biosecurity measures, as well as an increase in the state’s surveillance and monitoring efforts.
Additionally, department officials announced a ban on avian shows at the state’s 109 state-sponsored 2015 fairs and the 2016 Farm Show. The task force also convened several tabletop exercises to walk through various response and recovery scenarios if an outbreak were to occur in Pennsylvania. Briefings also are being provided to other state agency partners and the executive branch to discuss their roles in the event of an outbreak.
For more information about avian influenza, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and click on the “avian influenza” banner.