County takes preventative measures against bird flu

 
            Franklin County officials will hold a press conference today to announce an emergency declaration due to ongoing concerns over bird flu.
            There are currently no cases of bird flu in Franklin County. However, the board of supervisors and emergency management personnel felt the declaration was necessary to implement pre-emptive strategies to stop the virus from reaching local flocks.
            “This is new to everbody,” said Thomas Craighton, Franklin County Emergency Management coordinator. “Everybody is trying to help out one step at a time to see what we can do to prevent it.”
            Franklin County is home to six commercial poultry sites. The supervisors met in special session Friday morning to discuss the emergency declaration with county officials and local poultry producers. Board Chairman Mike Nolte plans to sign the emergency declaration today during a press conference at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center at 4 p.m.
            The bird flu virus was confirmed in neighboring Wright County on Monday. A state of emergency had been declared there on May 1, which led officials to close roads near poultry facilities in attempt to stop the virus from reaching flocks.
            There have been 37 confirmed bird flu cases in 11 Iowa counties. The highly pathogenic virus spreads through flocks quickly, but it poses no threat to humans or poultry products like meat and eggs. Contaminated flocks must be euthanized and the facility sterilized.
            More information regarding the Franklin County emergency declaration will be available following the press conference this afternoon.
            “This industry is very important to Franklin County. There’s been a lot of dollars spent here on chickens,” said Nolte. “I think this is a case where we need to take care of our own.”