Bird Flu Detected in Iowa Flock for Fourth Time in Less Than a Week

By Cami Koons

The highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in a commercial turkey flock in Sac County according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which has announced three other detections since Friday. 

IDALS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, confirmed a case of the H5N1 virus in a flock of layer chickens in Sioux County Dec. 6, another in a turkey flock in Palo Alto County Dec. 8, an additional detection in Sioux County Dec. 9 and now in a Sac County turkey flock.

For each of these counties, Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued and extended a disaster proclamation to ease regulations and offer resources to state agencies working to control the spread of the virus. 

Don McDowell, communications director for IDALS, said the whole flock in Sac County, amounting to 45,000 birds, will be culled. 

A press release from IDALS said egg and poultry products are still safe to eat, and reminded Iowans to always cook poultry to an internal temperature of 165 F.

The latest case brings the total detections in poultry for the year to seven. Since the spring, Iowa and other states have seen the flu in dairy cows. Officials say the risk of infection to humans is low, though some farm workers have become ill from interacting with the infected animals.  

The press release also encouraged commercial and backyard producers to monitor their flocks for symptoms of the virus, contact their veterinarians if they suspect any birds are infected and continue to exercise heightened biosecurity measures.

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