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 an additional four commercial turkey flocks in Minnesota. There are thirteen total confirmed cases in Minnesota.
These flocks are 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.
The affected flocks are in: Cottonwood County – 48,000 turkeys; Lyon County – 66,000 turkeys; Stearns County 45,000 turkeys (4th detection in the county) and Watonwan County – 30,000 turkeys.
In addition, yesterday the USDA-APHIS confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. This is the second confirmation in a commercial flock in South Dakota. The flock of 34,000 turkeys is located within the Central flyway where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified.
