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Secretary of Agriculture Provides Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

No Public Health Risk For Pennsylvanians

On Saturday, April 16, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in domestic poultry, in a flock of commercial layer chickens on a Lancaster County poultry farm. A state and federal interagency task force is prepared and initiating a response plan.

While there is no risk to the public, and poultry and eggs are safe to eat if cooked properly, HPAI is highly infectious and can be fatal to domestic birds (chickens, ducks, geese, quail, pheasants, guinea fowl and turkeys). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, avian influenza detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.

If you suspect your poultry is infected with avian influenza, please report your concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852, option 1.

Sick or dead wild birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 610-926-3136 or [email protected]

By practicing good biosecurity, you can reduce the risk of people, animals, equipment, or vehicles carrying infectious diseases onto your property – either accidentally or on purpose. You will also help protect other flocks by preventing the spread of disease.

Biosecurity checklists:

Agriculture Department Orders Temporary Ban On Poultry, Egg Exhibitions To Protect Poultry Industry From Avian Influenza

To further protect Pennsylvania's $7.1 billion poultry industry from the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Secretary Redding announced a temporary quarantine order banning the exhibition of poultry and eggs at county and local fairs in Pennsylvania. The ban takes effect Saturday, April 16 and will last for 60 days or until the department rescinds the order.

USDA APHIS encourages all partner organizations to support outreach efforts to poultry growers to stress the importance of biosecurity to make sure they are doing everything possible to keep their birds healthy and reduce the risk of spreading disease. 

The Defend the Flock public education program provides checklists, videos, webinars, and educational resources to help poultry growers. Featured outreach materials and social media posts are provided here for you to use at your discretion. High-definition versions of the images below are available upon request.

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture | 2301 N. Cameron Street | Harrisburg, PA 17110
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