Officials detected a third case of the Avian Influenza Virus in Barron County Tuesday, affecting 108,000 birds in a commercial facility.
This marks the seventh confirmed case of the H5 avian influenza in Wisconsin. A total of 1.3 million birds have been affected in counties across the state, including Barron, Jefferson, Juneau and Chippewa, according to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Several outbreaks have recently occurred throughout the Midwest, leading to a comprehensive loss of 8 million turkeys and chickens.
The contaminated flock is undergoing a set of protocols put in place by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After the virus is detected, the property must be quarantined and remaining birds depopulated to prevent the disease from entering the food supply.
State officials in Wisconsin and other states say the outbreak does not pose a risk to public health. Poultry meat and egg items in the marketplace remain safe to eat.
