WASHINGTON – Iowa reported the state's first case of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza, while more cases were confirmed in Minnesota, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture reported.

A flock of 27,000 turkeys will be culled following confirmation of the H5N2 virus at a commercial poultry farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa. Samples from the turkey flock were tested at the Iowa State Univ. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings. This is the first confirmed case in a commercial flock in the state.


Meanwhile, APHIS reported confirmed H5N2 in eight additional turkey flocks across six counties in Minnesota. There are 22 total confirmed cases in the state. Affected flocks are in the following counties:

• Kandiyohi County – 30,000 turkeys (4th detection in the county)
• La Sueur County – 21,500 turkeys (1st detection in the county)
• Meeker County – 25,000 turkeys (2nd detection in the county)
• Meeker County – 20,000 turkeys (3rd detection in the county)
• Stearns County – 76,000 turkeys (5th detection in the county)
• Swift County – 160,000 turkeys (1st detection in the county)
• Swift County – 154,000 turkeys (2nd detection in the county)
• Redwood County – 56,000 turkeys (1st detection in the county)