Bird Flu Detected in Poultry of Five California Counties

Five counties in California have now reported an outbreak of highly contagious bird flu in commercial poultry flocks. On Wednesday, Stanislaus County joined Sonoma County, along with San Benito, Fresno and Merced Counties. On Tuesday, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declared a local state of emergency due to the bird flu outbreak. The virus has been detected at the Sunrise Farms egg operation west of Petaluma and at the Reichardt Duck Farm in Two Rock. Locally, more than a quarter-million laying hens and Pekin ducks have been euthanized after contracting bird flu.