Tyson slaughters thousands of chickens exposed to bird flu virus

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Tyson Foods is killing and burying the carcasses of 15,000 hens in northwest Arkansas after the chickens tested positive for exposure to an avian flu virus.

State officials say a routine blood test showed that the birds have been exposed to a subtype of the virus that is not harmful to humans. However, the CDC said a 2004 outbreak of the same subtype at a poultry plant in British Columbia, Canada, did sicken two workers there.

Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson says the company is also "stepping up its surveillance of avian influenza in the area" as a precaution.

http://www.wztv.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/34d9a216-www.fox17.com.shtml