Illinois officials say the threat of bird flu required limits on poultry at this year’s Illinois State Fair.
This strain of avian influenza entered the U.S. last December. So far it’s infected flocks in all the states surrounding Illinois.
State Department of Agriculture Director Philip Nelson says it’s resulted in 48 million birds either dying or being killed. Because of that, he says bird exhibitions at the state fair will be limited to Illinois birds.
“We’re doing it as a precaution, for the most part just to protect our poultry industry in this state," he says.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says there have been no reports of humans being infected with this particular strain of bird flu.
