RALEIGH — All poultry shows and public sales in North Carolina are being suspended because of the threat of the avian flu, the state veterinarian said.
The suspension includes all exhibitions, farm tours, shows, sales, flea markets, auction markets, swaps and meets pertaining to poultry and feathered fowl, State Veterinarian Mike Martin said in a news release. The activities are suspended until further notice, the news release said.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says North Carolina joins several other states, including Georgia, that have also cancelled or altered poultry events due to the flu.
Poultry owners are being urged to practice security, including keeping flocks indoors without access to outside and reporting sick birds to a local veterinarian, the department or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System.
The suspension was announced on Tuesday.
Since March 29, avian flu has been detected at seven commercial poultry facilities in Johnston and Wayne counties. More than 90,000 turkeys and more than 280,000 broilers have been killed and composted on-site to prevent further spread of the virus.
This type of avian flu is considered a low risk to people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
