State agriculture officials are taking a big step to try to keep the bird flu out of the state.
The nationwide outbreak of the H5 virus has killed about 50 million chickens and turkeys, including 29 million in Iowa alone. But it's so far spared Ohio.
In an effort to keep it out of the state, the state is banning poultry shows at every Ohio fair, effective immediately through at least the end of the year.
“This virus is a very hearty virus, and we may have it for a few years. We don’t know. It has no need to mutate, or resort, or change at this point because it’s alive and well," says Ohio State Veterinarian Tony Forshey.
Forshey says the risk of an infected making its way into Ohio will increase during the fall migration season.
Click the play button below to hear more details from Tony Forshey.
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