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LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked domestic bird owners to step up their biosecurity efforts and work to protect their birds from avian influenza.
Over the past several months, the department says the U.S. has seen an increase in cases of the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, affecting poultry in multiple states.
State Veterinarian Dr. James Averill says bird flu has recently been detected in commercial flocks across Arkansas, Missouri and Minnesota. He says this is cause for concern because wild waterfowl migrating north could bring the viral disease to Michigan.
The department says no human infections with the virus have been reported, and the Centers for Disease Control considers the risk to people to be low.
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