India, March 18 -- The state of Mississippi in the United States has reported an outbreak of the deadly H7N9 strain of the highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) virus in commercial poultry. The strain is known to have infected humans and birds.

The infection was confirmed by the US Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory to the Mississippi Board of Animal Health (MBAH), found in poultry located in Noxubee County, Mississippi, bordering Alabama.

The infected birds have been culled, while the facility has been quarantined off to prevent further spread of the disease, according to a statement by MBAH.

The H7N9 subtype has a North American wild bird lineage, according to a statement by the World Organization for A...