LITCHFIELD, Minn. – The first new outbreak of avian flu was discovered in a turkey flock in Meeker County. The flock was immediately destroyed to stave off further spread of the highly contagious disease. It was thought that avian flu had been wiped out in June with the euthanization of 2.7 million birds, mostly turkeys, in Minnesota. In fact, 414 flocks in 39 states — 40 million birds total — were destroyed in that first wave. The new outbreak, near Litchfield in central Minnesota, was identified over the weekend and confirmed Tuesday by state agriculture scientists. The first wave, last spring came with migrating birds from the South.
Verbatim
Shauna Voss, senior state veterinarian, to turkey growers: “While the timing of this detection is a bit sooner than we anticipated, we have been preparing for a resurgence of the avian influenza we dealt with this spring. Biosecurity is the first of defense to protect your birds.
Isolation, euthanization
Although highly contagious among birds, avian flu seldom affects humans and other animals. At some risk are farm workers. U.S. Agriculture protocols require destruction of affected flocks to keep the pathogen out of food supply chains.