Avian influenza strikes again in South Dakota, Iowa

Thursday, May 14, 2015
By Paul Martin

Lisa Schnirring
CIDRAP News
May 13, 2015

Animal health officials in South Dakota said highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has turned up on two more poultry farms, three weeks after the state’s last outbreaks were reported, and Iowa authorities reported one new suspected outbreak at an another egg farm.

The latest outbreaks hit two turkey farms in the Yankton area, the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan reported yesterday, citing Dustin Oedekoven, DVM, state veterinarian for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board (SDAIB). He said the farms are in Hutchinson and Yankton counties and mark the state’s seventh and eighth recent avian influenza detections.

In foreign avian influenza developments, Nigeria today reported 54 more highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu outbreaks, and foreign media reports say the virus has turned up in Iraq after a nearly 9-year hiatus.

South Dakota bird toll passes 400,000
According to the SDAIB, the outbreaks have occurred in eight separate counties, affecting 400,900 birds. All of the affected farms are in the eastern half of the state, with the first event reported on Mar 30. Other counties that have reported outbreaks are Beadle, Kingsbury, McCook, McPherson, Roberts, and Spink.

For the second day in a row, Minnesota reported no new avian flu outbreaks. The state has been the epicenter of activity, with the virus hitting the state’s turkey industry hard, with 85 farms affected in 21 counties.

Iowa outbreaks reach 50
Iowa today reported another probable H5N2 outbreak, in a commercial laying operation in Sioux County. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) in a statement estimated that 238,000 birds are affected at the site, which pushes the state’s number of outbreaks to 50.

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