Bird flu may persist for several years in Minnesota, rest of U.S.

The unprecedented U.S. bird flu outbreak that is centered in Minnesota is likely to stick around for a few years and possibly damage poultry farms across the nation, a top U.S. veterinary official said Thursday.

“This is something very unusual, where we have seen bird flu adapt so well, ” John Clifford, chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), told a Minnesota House agriculture committee.

The House voted unanimously late Thursday to pony up almost $900,000 to help state agencies battle the bug. For lost birds in Minnesota alone, the flu’s tab is already in the tens of millions of dollars.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/300151221.html