Parmer County, Texas - The largest producer of fresh eggs in the US, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., halted production at one facility after detecting avian flu at the Texas facility.

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has lost about 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets as a result of a bird flu outbreak at one of their facilities. That's 3.6% of the company's flock.

The company, which is based in Mississippi, detected the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak at a facility in Parmer County, Texas.

The company then halted production at the facility in accordance with USDA protocols for dealing with bird flu.

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Co-Maine Foods said it is now relying on other facilities "to minimize disruption to its customers."

Although a man in Texas contracted avian flu from an outbreak among dairy cattle earlier this week, the CDC still considers the virus low risk for humans. That was the second reported human case in the US.

The health organization has emphasized that the risk level depends on exposure.

People who work with infected birds or other animals are at a greater risk of infection. Humans cannot contract the avian flu from properly-cooked eggs or poultry.

Cal-Maine also emphasized that there is no known risk related to eggs currently in stores.