WattAgNet: Minnesota, South Dakota avian influenza cases continue

Three counties have first confirmed cases of H5N2 avian influenza in commercial turkey flocks

Release Date: 2015-04-17

H5N2 avian influenza cases continue to surface in turkey flocks in Minnesota and South Dakota. 
Four additional H5N2 avian influenza outbreaks have occurred in Minnesota, while South Dakota has one new case, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed on April 17. All of the newly confirmed cases were found in commercial turkey flocks.

With the latest confirmations, Minnesota now has had 26 cases of avian influenza and South Dakota has had five.

In Minnesota, two of the new outbreaks occurred in counties that had not previously been affected. Those included a flock of 21,000 in Otter Tail County and a flock of 26,000 in Roseau County. Meanwhile, Kandiyohi County had its fifth avian influenza outbreak with a flock of 30,000 commercial turkeys being infected and Stearns County had its sixth case when a flock of 76,000 was impacted, APHIS reported.

The newest case of avian influenza in South Dakota occurred in Roberts County in a flock of 66,600 turkeys.

The affected premises have been quarantined and the premises and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.

To date, 17 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces have had confirmed cases of avian influenza.

Monitor avian influenza outbreaks to help keep birds safe with WATTAgNet’s interactive avian influenza map, which tracks confirmed cases of bird flu across North America.