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Avian Influenza Found In Leavenworth County

By Brian Hagen

03/16/2015

(KAIR)--Avian Influenza has been discovered in the local area.

That word from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, which says samples collected from a backyard poultry flock of both chickens and ducks in Leavenworth County, tested positive for HPAI H5N2.

Despite the discovery, there's no reason for alarm, according to Department of Ag spokeswoman Beth Gaines, who says humans can not contract the illness, nor is there any affect on the food supply. “This is not something that transfers to humans, and it has not since this outbreak started in the United States last fall,” Gaines tells MSC News. “There's no food safety concerns. You can still enjoy poultry and egg products that you purchase at the grocery store. So there's really little impact for the general consumer.”

The affected flock was depopulated Saturday morning by officials from the USDA.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has established an incident command post in Leavenworth County, while a control zone, in keeping with protocol for disease control and eradication, has been established around the affected property.

Survey work is now underway within the control zone to determine the locations of backyard poultry flocks.

Backyard poultry owners in Leavenworth County are asked to make a report to the agency, in order to assist animal health officials with monitoring the situation while controlling the spread of the disease.

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