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Bird Flu Detected In Iowa Commercial Turkey Flock

(Des Moines, IA) -- A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the turkeys have been depopulated and nearby poultry farms are quarantined.

"And now is the time for increased vigilance, during the spring migration of water fowl, folks will really need to be watching. It could be a long spring, and the fact that it's March and we're already dealing with this tells us we have a long ways to go, the risk is high," said Naig.

Last week the virus was detected in a backyard chicken flock in western Iowa's Pottawattamie County.

There are now 16-states with positive cases of bird flu and a half dozen states with confirmed commercial cases.

The last time Iowa dealt with avian influenza was 2015, when more than five million birds were depopulated. The virus dealt Iowa's poultry industry a $1 billion dollar impact. Iowa is the number one egg producing state in the nation. The state is 6th in terms of turkey production.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus does not pose an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a disaster proclamation for Buena Vista County now thru April 5th, 2022.

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.  


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