Sunday, April 26, 2015

UPDATE 1-National Guard called up to deliver water in Minnesota bird flu fight - Reuters

<span id="midArticle_start"/>(Adds details from the state)

<span id="midArticle_0"/>By P.J. Huffstutter

<span id="midArticle_1"/>CHICAGO, April 26 (Reuters) - The Minnesota State EmergencyOperations Center has called on the National Guard to deliverwater for use in the effort to contain the rapidly spreadingavian flu virus, the center said on Sunday.

<span id="midArticle_2"/>Starting Monday, 30 National Guard soldiers and 15 militarywater trucks from the Willmar, Minnesota-based 682nd EngineerBattalion and the Brooklyn Park-based A Company, 134th BrigadeSupport Battalion will be used, the center said in a statement.

<span id="midArticle_3"/>Large volumes of water are needed for the foam-based systemsbeing used to cull flocks on infected turkey farms in a bid tocontain the spread of the H5N2 virus, the statement said.

<span id="midArticle_4"/>The guard members will work through Wednesday as additionalwater transport resources are identified.

<span id="midArticle_5"/>The National Guard became available to be activated for suchefforts last week, after Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton declareda state of emergency over the spread of the strain of avian flu,which has lead to the extermination of more than 7.3 millionbirds in the United States so far.

<span id="midArticle_6"/>Minnesota's action followed a similar move by neighboringWisconsin a few days earlier.

<span id="midArticle_7"/>The highly pathogenic H5N2 strain has been identified on 49Minnesota farms in 17 counties and affected more than 2.6million birds in the state, according to Minnesota stateofficials. (Reporting by P.J. Huffstutter; Editing by Mohammad Zargham andLeslie Adler)

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