Emergency Management Department

  •  (951) 358-7100 
Emergency Management Department
Go to...
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Divisions
    • Annual Reports
    • Grants
    • Committees
  • Programs
    • Mitigation
      • Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Preparedness
      • Hospital Preparedness Program
      • Cities Readiness Initiative
      • Plans
    • Response
      • Operational Area
      • Business EOC
      • Emergency Operations Centers
    • Recovery
  • News
  • Events/Training
    • Certification
      • Certification Levels
      • Disease Investigations
      • Disaster Service Worker
    • Summit
      • Summit Photos
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Divisions
    • Annual Reports
    • Grants
    • Committees
  • Programs
    • Mitigation
      • Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Preparedness
      • Hospital Preparedness Program
      • Cities Readiness Initiative
      • Plans
    • Response
      • Operational Area
      • Business EOC
      • Emergency Operations Centers
    • Recovery
  • News
  • Events/Training
    • Certification
      • Certification Levels
      • Disease Investigations
      • Disaster Service Worker
    • Summit
      • Summit Photos
  • Contact Us
Select the search type
  • Site
  • Web
Search

EMD Divisions

ImageA

Preparedness

The Preparedness Division develops and maintains plans, conducts exercises, and administers a cadre of volunteers...

ImageA

Business and Finance

The Business and Finance Division maintains the department's sound business functions and prudent financial management...

ImageA

Operations

The Operations Division provides the backbone of EMD's ability to respond to and support...

ImageA

Riverside County Emergency Medical Services Agency (REMSA)

The REMSA Division provides regulatory oversight of prehospital care by ambulance providers, first responder agencies...


Virulent Newcastle disease detected in Riverside County
Brooke Federico - EMD / Wednesday, July 18, 2018
/ Categories: Uncategorized, Alerts

Virulent Newcastle disease detected in Riverside County

Owners of backyard chickens urged to take measures to protect their flock

A confirmed case of virulent Newcastle disease was found in northwest Riverside County on June 30. The disease affects birds and can cause serious illness or death in an entire chicken flock in a single day.

The Riverside County location is close to other occurrences of the disease in southwest San Bernardino County. At this time, the single location is the only known incidence in Riverside County. All locations, including in Riverside County, involve backyard exhibition chickens.

“This disease is so virulent it could significantly affect the poultry industry nationwide if it reaches commercial flocks,” said Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner Ruben Arroyo. “We are taking extra precautions to reduce the risk of tracking disease on and off farms by limiting farm visits to those that are essential to health and safety.”

Virulent Newcastle disease can cause serious illness or death to an entire flock of chickens within a single day. Riverside County officials urge backyard chicken owners to protect their birds and prevent the spread of the disease by taking the following precautions, known as biosecurity measures:

  • Do not move chickens from your home until the situation is resolved.
  • Restrict traffic onto and off of your property.
  • Disinfect shoes, clothes, hands, egg trays or flats, crates, vehicles and tires.
  • Avoid visits to other poultry farms or bird owners. If you visit, be sure to change clothes and clean your hands and shoes before entering your own bird area.
  • Wash hands and scrub boots before and after entering a poultry area.
  • Isolate any birds returning from shows for 30 days before placing them with the rest of the flock.

“Owners of backyard chickens should not buy new birds, trade their birds or move their birds until this matter is resolved,” said Dr. Allan Drusys, Riverside County’s chief veterinarian.

If your chickens die suddenly or show signs of illness, call California’s Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-BIRD (2473). Symptoms of the disease include sneezing, gasping for air, nasal discharge, coughing, greenish diarrhea, reduced activity, tremors, drooping wings, twisting of the head and neck, circling, complete stiffness and swelling around the eyes and neck.

No human cases of Newcastle disease have ever occurred from eating poultry products, which are safe to eat if thoroughly cooked. In rare instances, people working directly with sick birds can become infected. Symptoms usually are mild and limited to conjunctivitis. People can easily prevent infection by wearing protective equipment, such as gloves, goggles, face masks, boots and disposable coveralls.

Additional information is available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Biosecurity for Birds website, as well as the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Virulent Newcastle Disease Alert website.

- 30 -

Previous Article [UPDATED 9/7/2019] Virulent Newcastle Disease Confirmed in Riverside County
Next Article The Source
Print
11391

 
Please login or register to post comments.
Tweets by @RivCoReady

GET IN TOUCH

Call us at (951) 358 - 7100 or CONTACT US

Stay Connected

Follow RivCoEMD on Twitter and Periscope with other social media coming soon!

     

Tag

  • Fire
  • Emergency
  • Department
  • Management
  • Safety
  • Service
  • County
  • Riverside
  • Disaster
  • Earthquake
  • Fire
  • Flood
  • EMD

County Links

  • County of Riverside
  • Riverside County Fire Department
  • Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner
  • RivCoReady
  • RivCoCERT
  • Riverside EMS Agency

County Of  Riverside

Copyright 2021 Emergency Management Department : Terms Of Use : Privacy Statement
Login