In today’s Health Alert, a new strain of bird flu - H5N9 - has been detected in the U.S. The first confirmed case was found at a commercial duck farm in California.

The newly reported H5N9 strain was found Monday at a duck farm in Merced County, California, according to the World Organization for Animal Health. The Paris-based organization that studies animal diseases said it's the first verified U.S. case of H5N9 in poultry. The organization said the more common strain H5N1 was also found.

State officials are working with partners to test suspected cases and collaborating with municipalities to safely dispose of dead birds." The post Bird flu now considered ‘widespread’ in Mass., officials say appeared first on Boston.