Health Officials in Protective Suits Put a Goose Into a Sack as Part of Preventive Measures Against the H7N9 Bird Flu at a Poultry Market in Zhuji, Zhejiang Province
In Photo: Health officials in protective suits put a goose into a sack as part of preventive measures against the H7N9 bird flu at a poultry market in Zhuji, Zhejiang province January 5, 2014. The local government ordered all live poultry be killed at two markets in Zhuji after a 34-year-old woman was confirmed to be infected with the H7N9 virus on Saturday, local media reported. Picture taken January 5, 2014. REUTERS

After the avian influenza strain H5N2 was detected in Minnesota in the first week of March, the agriculture officials have now confirmed the presence of the deadly virus in two poultry facilities in Missouri. Reportedly, the same strain has been reported from several other U.S. states, including Washington and Oregon.

Even though the officials have said that the infestation right now is not a threat to the public health since the infected farms have been isolated, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA has decided to slaughter the infected turkeys at the poultry. The number of birds that will be culled have not been announced officially.

According to CBS News, the lethal avian influenza virus "wiped out" a flock of nearly 15,000 birds in the first week of March in Minnesota alone, following which the farmers are taking additional precautionary measures to protect their turkeys on the farm. Every possible measure, including trimming of grass, has been taken to prevent contamination of the flock of birds at the farms.

Preliminary testing at another farm location, including Idaho and Moniteau County also came out positive for H5N2 virus.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is scrutinising the workers who are suspected to have been exposed to flu virus while working on the farm. An incident management team has been deployed in Missouri by the USDA to facilitate the response action.

Even though the bird flu does not spread to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has asked people to be aware of it. According to the CDC, a person infected by bird flu may show simple flu-like symptoms, ranging from fever to pneumonia.

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