Maryland is fifth state to test positive for bird flu

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maryland is the fifth state to confirm the presence of avian influenza.

Routine testing. During routine testing put in place after two positive cases were found in Delaware last month, a Maryland farm with a flock of six-week old broilers tested positive for the bird flu March 6.

The positive farm’s owner also has two other farms in the area, and 328,000 birds at two of his farms were killed. The third farm is being observed, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

This is the same strain found last month in two flocks in Delaware, but there is no known connection between the Maryland and Delaware cases.

Not linked to Asia. It is not known to be associated with the strain killing millions of birds and more than 20 people across southeast Asia.

Live bird sales in Maryland were already banned after the bird flu was found in Delaware.

Maryland’s last outbreak of the bird flu was in game birds in 1993, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Avian influenza was found last month in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Texas.