The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Nobles County, Minnesota.

Image/Yinan Chen
Image/Yinan Chen

This is the fourth confirmation in a commercial flock in Minnesota.

The flock of 21,000 turkeys is located within the Mississippi flyway where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified. CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low.  No human infections with the virus have been detected at this time.

In addition, the USDA-APHIS confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Beadle County, South Dakota.  The flock of 53,000 turkeys is located within the Central flyway, where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified and is highly similar to the other H5 HPAI viruses detected this year.

Officials from both states the affected premises and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system.

As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby areas.