AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Minnesota is on alert after a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a commercial turkey flock in Redwood County, marking the state’s first case since late April. The outbreak was discovered after a spike in deaths at a farm with 20,000 turkey toms. All the turkeys have been destroyed to prevent further spread, and a six-mile quarantine zone has been established around the affected farm. Weekly testing will be conducted in this zone. This outbreak is a setback for Minnesota’s efforts to control the deadly bird flu, which has also been found in dairy cows.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
REDWOOD FALLS, MINN. – After a summer free of bird flu infections, a new outbreak at a turkey operation in Redwood County has the state back on alert.
A deadly bird flu has been detected in a commercial turkey flock, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health said this week.
The outbreak marks the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) — which can wipe out entire flocks — in the state’s poultry population since late April, the Animal Health Board said.
A spike in deaths in a commercial flock in Redwood County with around 20,000 turkey toms led to samples being sent to the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory. On Monday, those samples tested positive for influenza A and the H5 strain, the Animal Health Board said.
All 20,000 toms have been destroyed to prevent infection from spreading, said Shauna Voss, assistant director of the board.
Poultry farms within 6 miles of the Redwood County operation have been placed in a quarantine zone, with their birds to be tested weekly, Voss added.
The owners of the Redwood County turkey operation will have to do a multimonth process to make sure the virus is eliminated, she added.
The outbreak is a setback in the state’s efforts to combat bird flu, which kills nearly all poultry that contract it and has been found in dairy cows.
