Bird Flu Outbreak Reported in Two More Minnesota Counties

(KNSI) — The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says Kandiyohi and Lac Qui Parle Counties are the latest to report flocks with highly pathogenic avian influenza infections.

Those two counties join Meeker, Mower and Stearns Counties with flocks showing signs of H5N1. There are now more than 370,000 birds in Minnesota that are affected. Minnesota joins Colorado, North Dakota and Pennsylvania with the HPAI strain. The infections in those states were all detected in waterfowl rather than commercial birds.

So far, 18 states have reported H5N1 poultry outbreaks this year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s emergency response team is being deployed in the state Wednesday and will remain for at least three weeks. The team will work alongside animal health officials and producers to respond to the incident, including quarantining the infected flocks, supporting infected-site response activities, engaging in disease surveillance, and coordinating state and federal logistics and finances.

Minnesota is ranked number one in turkey production in the nation. Minnesota has more than 660 turkey farms that raise about 40 million birds annually, more than any other state. Turkey production generates $774 million in cash receipts annually, and in 2020, Minnesota exported about 15% of its production, worth approximately $114 million.

Updates regarding reported bird flu outbreaks in Minnesota can be found here.

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