Turkey farm in Arkansas confirms suspected case of bird flu

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that a suspected case of avian influenza has been identified in Arkansas.

Arkansas is the third-largest turkey producer in the US, and also houses the country’s biggest chicken company, Tyson Foods.

The US has already seen bird flu outbreaks in various states including Minnesota, Missouri and California.

In the past few weeks, Minnesota and Missouri have reported confirmed cases of the highly pathogenic H5N2 bird flu, causing producers in Arkansas to be on alert for the virus.

H5N2 is a subtype of the species influenza virus that infects birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys, falcons and ostriches.

The USDA has said that the flu is contagious and can spread rapidly through a flock, killing birds within 48 hours.

While people working with infected birds can be infected by the virus, it hardly has any noticeable health effects.

Once confirmed, the outbreak will lead to a widening in trade restrictions from countries including Taiwan, Singapore and Nicaragua.

USDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Cole was quoted by Reuters as saying: "There is a suspect case in Arkansas, but testing is ongoing."

Chief financial officer for Sanderson Farms, the third-largest poultry producer in the US, Mike Cockrell was quoted by Reuters as saying that the suspected case had been detected in a turkey flock.

The firm will bar outsiders from entering barns, and increase cleaning of trucks hauling feed and chickens between farms to prevent the spread of the flu.

Apart from the farm in Arkansas, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) hads confirmed the detection of avian influenza in Moniteau County on Tuesday, the second case in the past week.

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Image: A suspected case of bird flu has been found at Arkansas which is the third-largest turkey producer in the US. Photo: courtesy of Arvind Balaraman/freedigitalphotos.net.