DORCHESTER COUNTY, MD - Another case of bird flu has been confirmed on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, with the Maryland Department of Agriculture reporting the outbreak in Dorchester County. This marks the first instance of bird flu affecting a broiler flock in the county.
The fast-spreading virus has been impacting wild snow geese and commercial poultry farms across the region. While the risk to public health remains low, officials are closely monitoring the situation.
“So right now, the risk to the general population is really low,” said John Griep, the public information officer for the Dorchester County Health Department.
However, Griep noted that certain groups are more at risk due to their exposure to poultry.
“The people at the highest risk are people that have job-related or recreational exposure to poultry. [So], farm workers, people with backyard flocks, and hunters,” Griep explained.
Griep reassured the public that if you catch it, it typically manifests as a mild flu-like illness. To date, there have been no reported human cases of bird flu in Maryland.
For farmers, the economic impact is more severe. Emily Zobel, agriculture and food system agent with the University of Maryland’s Dorchester County office, outlined the protocol following a positive bird flu case on a farm.
“When a farm tests positive for bird flu, what happens is they come in and they have to depopulate. So all the birds have to be euthanized, and in order to reduce the spread, they have to be composted in-house. And this is a several week-long process,” said Zobel.
This process often triggers a chain reaction of economic hardship for the affected farm. Zobel explained, “In the case of the grower or producer, they do get compensated for the loss of their birds and for the funds needed to disinfect their farm. But also, they’re not able to use their farm and grow new birds when this is happening.”
The ripple effects of the outbreak extend to surrounding farms as well. Zobel noted that farms within a 12-mile radius of an infected facility must have their flocks tested before they can proceed to meat processing.
“Within 12 miles of that farm, you then have other farmers who have to have their flocks tested before they can go out for meat processing,” she said.
All together, delaying farm operations and losing money.
Despite the impact on poultry operations, Dorchester County health officials reassured the public that all poultry is tested before processing and that no sick birds will enter the food supply.
The situation remains under close watch, as health and agriculture experts continue to monitor the spread of bird flu on Delmarva.