New Bird Flu Cases Reported in Iowa, Joining 3 Other States as Disease Resurfaces

A flock of Turkeys at a Minnesota poultry farm are shown in a file image. (Bethany Hahn via AP)

Two farms in Iowa have been hit by the highly pathogenic bird flu, causing about 100,000 birds to be killed to keep the disease from spreading.

The latest cases were at a commercial turkey flock in Pocahontas County and at a mixed species backyard flock in Guthrie County, the Iowa Department of Agriculture confirmed Oct. 23. This comes after an outbreak was reported last week in Buena Vista County.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going away,” James Roth, director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University told the Storm Lake Times Pilot. “It’s less than it was this time last year, although it’s picking up kind of fast. And it may be that enough wild birds are infected that they’re starting to develop some immunity. So it’s really hard to tell where this is going.”

Iowa’s department reported last week that a commercial turkey facility of about 50,000 turkeys in Buena Vista County was affected. Another facility of about 47,500 turkeys in neighboring Pocahontas County and about 50 backyard birds in Guthrie County were confirmed Oct. 23.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a disaster proclamation for the county through Nov. 19, after the first outbreak, enabling the state agriculture department and other agencies to help track, monitor, and contain the disease.

Iowa’s infected flocks come weeks after South Dakota, Utah, and Minnesota reported bird flu outbreaks, with 12 commercial turkey farms affected in October, impacting more than 500,000 birds.

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Iowa is part of the Mississippi flyway, a bird migration route that stretches from Canada to South America.

Bird flu last year cost U.S. poultry producers nearly 59 million birds across 47 states, including egg-laying chickens and turkeys and chickens raised for meat, making it the country’s deadliest outbreak ever, according to USDA figures. The outbreak caused spikes in egg and turkey prices for consumers and cost the government over $660 million.

Iowa was the hardest-hit state last year, with nearly 16 million birds lost, but there hadn’t been a case reported in the state since March.

Viral Disease

Bird flu, officially known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), is a contagious viral disease affecting bird populations. It often travels in wild birds’ droppings or nasal discharge, and is fatal to domestic poultry.

While wild birds often show no symptoms of avian influenza, infections in them are a concern to the poultry industry as migration season gets underway. Migrating birds can spread the disease to vulnerable commercial flocks.

Symptoms in birds include sudden death, lethargy, lack of appetite, decreased egg production, swelling, difficulty breathing, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea, and stumbling or falling over, according to the department.

Because the virus is so infectious and deadly for commercial poultry, entire flocks are destroyed and composted on the farms when they are infected.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the cases in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of the avian influenza virus have been detected in the United States.

It remains safe to eat poultry products. Cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses.

As the bird flu hit other species, including some mammals, scientists fear the virus could evolve to spread more easily among people. Cambodia recently reported its third human death from bird flu this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.