US kills 12,000 chickens in bird flu scare

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 07 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Agriculture officials in the USA say that they have destroyed 12,000 chickens in Delaware. They also said that the virus in this case is different from the one in Asia.

Two birds tested positive for the virus H7 (last Friday) in a farm in southern Kent County, Delaware. It is a different virus from the H5N1 (which has killed 18 people is Asia).

The Asian virus is a mutation of the H5 (H5 was found in Delaware).

Officials said the strain found in Delaware is only fatal to chickens (not humans). They also said that they are pretty sure it has not spread.

All chickens within a 2 mile radius of the farm will be tested. We should know the results of these tests by next Tuesday.

If they find the virus in that area, the area will then be extended to 5 miles.

The farm has been quarantined and the carcasses of the dead chickens will be composted.

Korea has immediately halted the imports of US chickens.

Poultry is a major industry and employer in the Delmarva Peninsula (in Delaware.

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