(VitalNews.org) – The largest fresh egg producer in the United States says that it has halted production after Texas and Michigan plants found Bird Flu in their chickens.
Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. in Texas said that over one million laying hens and over three hundred thousand pullets were destroyed due to the Bird Flu.
“The Company continues to work closely with federal, state, and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” their statement said. “Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers.”
There’s apparently no risk to the fresh eggs that are in grocery stores now for consumers, and there should be no fear of infection. According to the Department of Agriculture, as long as eggs are handled properly and fully cooked, they are safe to eat.
In the Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory poultry facility, Bird Flu has also been detected. A spokesperson said that a law prohibits them from being able to tell us the specific type of poultry that was affected. Still, they said this was the fourth detection of the infection in a facility in Michigan within the last two years.
The facility is now under quarantine but the department doesn’t expect any disruptions to production or supply across the states.
One human in Texas was said to have contracted the virus from a cow, which marked the first time that a person contracted it from cattle instead of a bird. Dairy cows in Kansas and Texas were said to be infected with Bird Flu last week.
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