There have been more than 1,000 cases of salmonella food poisoning from backyard poultry so far this year, reports the United States Centres for Disease Control.
Yet the lobbying for municipalities to change bylaws to allow backyard flocks continues in many Ontario communities.
The CDC said the spread of salmonella among people who have had contact with poultry in backyard flocks is approaching levels unseen for the last two years.
It reported this week that 1,003 people from 49 states have become ill from salmonella, with 235 people being added to the roster since the last CDC report in July. The latest figure includes 175 hospitalizations and two deaths – one in Ohio and one in Texas.
The agency recommended that people wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching any live poultry or anything in the flock’s environment to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Live poultry should be kept outside of homes and away from any area where food and drink for humans are prepared or stored, the CDC said.
