SAINT PAUL (Minnesota, US), Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Minnesota’s first major bird flu outbreak of 2023 has struck a Meeker County turkey farm, state officials announced.
The flock of 140,000 birds were culled to prevent further spread, and the site has been quarantined. Health officials say the virus, officially highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), does not pose a threat to the food supply.
Last year’s outbreak of bird flu was the deadliest in U.S. history, claiming more than 58 million birds nationwide. The virus is typically spread by migratory birds.
“Unfortunately, HPAI seems to keep popping up during the seasonal migrations in Minnesota,” State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs said in a news release. “Before today’s detection our most recent cases were in the spring of this year.”
Those spring cases were in backyard flocks and affected about 240 birds. Wednesday’s announcement marks the first detection in a large commercial facility in Minnesota this year. Both large and small operations are asked to be on high alert as cases may continue to spread.
“Anyone who has poultry should take this detection as a clear sign to keep a close eye on their flock and initiate your strongest biosecurity practices,” Hoefs said.
Minnesota is the nation’s leading producer of turkey and lost more than 4 million birds, mostly turkeys, to avian influenza last year, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
Compared to last year’s outbreak, there has been minimal spread nationally so far in 2023.
Two other bird flu outbreaks were reported this month at commercial turkey farms, in South Dakota and Utah, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 200,000 birds were affected.
Before that, the virus hadn’t hit a turkey farm since an April outbreak in North Dakota. — NNN-AGENCIES
