Chicken virus effect minimal in Menifee, officials say

There have been very few signs of Newcastle disease in chickens in Menifee, officials said. File photo

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Much of Riverside County remains under quarantine because of an outbreak of the Newcastle bird disease, but state and county officials say the effect on chickens in Menifee has been minimal.

"While there have been a few properties where birds had to be euthanized in Menifee, the last known premises positive for virulent Newcastle Disease was on Feb. 1," said Sandy Cooney, spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, in an email to Menifee 24/7.

Newcastle Disease is a contagious virus that poses a lethal threat to poultry, according to the CDFA. While not normally found in the U.S. and not a health threat to humans, an outbreak this year has threatened the commercial poultry industry and can be spread among back yard chickens.

In April, the City of Menifee issued a news release from the state veterinarian stating that because of the rapid spread of the disease, mandatory euthanasia was ordered for some parts of Southern California, including Menifee. If signs of the virus were found in chickens anywhere in the city, the chickens would be euthanized, the release said.

But according to Cooney, checks by officials of chickens in the area has not revealed signs of the virus. Even so, residents who keep chickens on their property are cautioned not to move the birds from their property, in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

"It’s critical that Menifee residents (and all bird owners in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties) continue to practice good biosecurity," Cooney said. "In keeping with the regional quarantine, it’s also essential that residents do not move birds ... onto or off their property. This helps to prevent the spread of the virus and supports our collective efforts to eradicate the disease."

Dr. Allan Drusys, director of Riverside County Animal Services, said that while officials may be checking local areas, residents should not be overly concerned as long as they are taking proper care of their chickens.

"You can’t take your back yard chickens over to your in-law’s house, for instance," Drusys said. "You can’t be moving them about. That doesn’t mean they are coming in to nuke all the birds in people’s back yards."