Highly pathogenic avian influenza detected in Buena Vista County

(Photo by Scott Bauer/Agriculture Research Service, USDA)

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced Thursday it had detected the highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for the county, through March 15 to help state and local officials contain the spread of the H5N1 virus and dispose of the depopulated birds. 

This is the third detection of the virus in Iowa flocks this year; the last detection occurred Feb. 2 at a commercial egg laying facility in O’Brien County. O’Brien County has been under an extended disaster proclamation from the governor since December 2024.

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According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this is the first outbreak in Buena Vista County since 2023. Since the start of the current outbreak three years ago, nearly 159 million birds have been affected by HPAI. 

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue rate the public health threat of the bird flu as low, though 68 people in U.S. have reportedly contracted the flu, primarily from being in proximity to sick birds or dairy cattle.

IDALS urges Iowans to avoid, and keep their pets away from, wild or migratory birds that appear sick or dead. Backyard and commercial poultry farmers are encouraged to practice heightened biosecurity and look out for signs of the bird flu like lethargy, coughing, decreased egg production or swelling of the head in their flocks.