Connecticut is urging poultry owners to register the location of their flocks with the state as a precaution against bird flu.Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky says officials are concerned about the prospect of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza as birds' migratory patterns change at the start of fall.
No cases have been detected in Connecticut, which has an estimated 5 million poultry, or elsewhere in the Northeast. State agriculture officials say the virus poses a low risk to humans and the food supply.
Registering flocks is not mandatory. But it will provide information about locations and numbers of poultry for emergency response purposes if the flu is detected in the state.
State and federal agencies have established a task force preparing for potential bird flu in Connecticut.
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