The five outbreaks, confirmed by the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, again affected Iowa and Minnesota, and brings the number of confirmed detections to 212.

The newly confirmed outbreaks are:

• Minnesota, Brown county - 15,900 commercial turkeys;
• Iowa, Clay county - 1,115,700 commercial chicken;
• Iowa, Hamilton county - 17,200 commercial turkeys;
• Iowa, Hamilton county - 26,200 commercial turkeys;
• Minnesota, Kandiyohi county - 37,000 commercial turkeys.

The total number of birds affected across the US has now reached 46,239,793.

Iowa's number of detections has reached 71, affecting 30,420,500 birds.

However, the state has had a break from any new presumed detections. Their Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said that 24.1 million of the 27.7 million affected commercial layers and pullets have been euthanised to date, and that disposal is ongoing.

Minnesota has reached 99 detections, affecting 8,447,350 birds. The state announced one additional presumed case of HPAI on Thursday, in turkeys in Brown county.

Nebraska has joined other states in cancelling poultry events and shows until January 2016.

The state's Department of Public Safety said the ban will include all events where birds are co-mingled including local and county fairs and festivals, the Nebraska State Fair, Ak-Sar-Ben, swap meets, exotic sales and live bird auctions in an effort to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI).

“The decision to cancel poultry events was made in an effort to protect the physical and economic health of Nebraska’s poultry sector.

"It is a difficult decision as I know youth and adults would soon be exhibiting their projects at local fairs,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach.

“As a parent of past 4-H and FFA members, I understand the time and commitment that our youth put into their projects and can understand the disappointment they may feel in not being able to exhibit their projects this year.

"This decision was not made lightly, but is necessary to assure we do everything possible to protect our collective poultry flock from further spread of the virus.”

Further Reading

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