ANNAPOLIS, Md. – There were no significant poultry deaths in Maryland after all due to Hurricane Irene, Maryland agriculture officials said. Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) spokesperson Julie Oberg said on Sept. 1 that an earlier report from the department of about 30,000 chicken deaths in Maryland was the result of a mix up that resulted after a conference call with a large number of people about storm damage with Delaware officials, according to the Associated Press.

MDA reported the deaths in Maryland on Aug. 30. The department issued a statement on the night of Aug. 31 saying the deaths had occurred in Delaware, not Maryland.


Meanwhile, the Delaware State Veterinarian's Office has received reports of 57,000 poultry deaths due to Hurricane Irene, Anne Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, said on Sept. 1.