Virulent Newcastle Disease Cases on the Rise in California

According to a report from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, six new cases of virulent Newcastle disease were reported in California during the week beginning December 13th and ending December 19th. As of December 27th, the USDA has confirmed 470 premises in California as infected with the disease, including 262 in Riverside County, 158 in San Bernardino County, 46 in Los Angeles County, 1 in Ventura County, 1 in Alameda County, and 1 in San Diego County. The USDA has also confirmed 1 infected premises in Utah County, and 1 infected premises in Coconino County, Arizona.

APHIS added that it is essential for all poultry owners to follow biosecurity practices to help protect their birds from infectious diseases. These steps include washing hands and scrubbing boots before and after entering a poultry area, cleaning and disinfecting tires and...

USDA Confirms Virulent Newcastle Disease in Pet Chickens in Arizona; Not a Food Safety Concern

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of virulent Newcastle disease in a small flock of pet chickens in Coconino County, Arizona. This is the first case of virulent Newcastle disease in Arizona.

This case is believed to be connected to the current outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease in California, as tests show the virus is almost identical to the virus causing disease ...

USDA Shifts Emergency Funds to Address Virulent Newcastle Disease in California

Secretary Perdue is making available an additional $45 million to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its partners to address the ongoing virulent Newcastle disease (vND) outbreak in southern California. This funding will allow APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to strengthen their joint efforts to stop the spread of this disease and prevent it from affecting additional commercial flocks. vND has been confirmed in more than 435 backyard flocks since May 2018. It was also confirmed in four commercial flocks in December 2018 and January 2019.

“Virulent Newcastle disease is a serious concern for our nation’s poultry industry and we need to step up our response in order to keep this disease out of additional commercial flocks,” said Greg Ibach, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.  “At this point, the trade impacts of this outbreak are ...