JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Federal and state authorities have confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Jessamine County backyard poultry flock.
Kentucky State Veterinarian Dr. Steve Velasco III said the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of HPAI in samples taken from the Jessamine County premises.
Increased mortality reported Dec. 6
On Dec. 6, representatives at the Jessamine County premises alerted the Kentucky Department of Agriculture of increased mortality in their flock. Testing at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of HPAI.
HPAI is known to be deadly for domesticated chickens and turkeys.
Response measures underway
After the HPAI confirmation, the KDA Office of State Veterinarian Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response were deployed to the premises. The affected flock is quarantined, and depopulation began Dec. 11…