Some 61,000 turkeys in the Merced County were infected by low pathogenic H7N3 virus, a North American strain of bird flu.

The samples collected from the turkey farm tested positive for low pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza. Around 61,000 turkeys were infected by low pathogenic H7N3 virus.
The strain discovered differed from the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu. It was also different from the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu found on a Californian turkey farm in January.
The farm was placed under quarantine following the preliminary findings and an epidemiological investigation was initiated. Following surveillance tests for bird flu at 10 associated farms were negative.
Based on the pathogenicity or the ability to cause disease, bird flu viruses are divided into two groups. Highly pathogenic bird flu causes serious disease, spreads rapidly and has high death rates. Low pathogenic bird flu causes milder disease.
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