Data on AI

USA Today gave front page coverage of the industry's efforts to prevent high pathogen AI from affecting the commercial poultry market. Here are some interesting facts to support my recent entry:

• "When two poultry farms in Texas became infected last year with a low-pathogenic avian flu, Texas officials went door to door to check for backyard poultry flocks. They were tested along with commercial birds to make sure the virus hadn't spread further. Officials found 425 backyard flocks within a 10-mile radius of the first infected farm."
• "Almost nine out of 10 backyard flock owners didn't require people entering flock areas to wear special footwear or clothing"
• New York City has about 80 live markets, handling 20 million birds a year
• "Several years ago, there were so many low-pathogenic avian flu outbreaks that 40% of New York City's markets temporarily closed every year so they could be disinfected"

Thanks to Garry Hill for the tip on the article.