MADISON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A case of avian influenza has been confirmed at a Madison County poultry farm.
According to a release from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (ADA), there is no public health concern and that it does not affect poultry or egg products.
The ADA and the USDA are working to contain the situation, including sampling and quarantining nearby poultry flocks, the release said.
“We have taken immediate action to contain this disease and will continue to work with poultry growers, the industry, and our laboratory partners to protect against its spread,” Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said.
The case was confirmed after an investigation conducted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Livestock and Poultry Division in collaboration with USDA Veterinary Services and the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory.
Poultry from the farm tested positive for “highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza,” the release said.
The ADA says that the affected area is around 25 miles surrounding the infected flock. The boundaries in this case are Gateway at the northernmost point, Osage at the easternmost point, Combs at the southernmost point and Harmon at the westernmost point.