The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in a second commercial turkey flock in Stearns County, Minnesota. This is the fifth confirmation in a commercial flock in the state.

The flock of 71,000 turkeys is located within the Mississippi flyway where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified.

Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.

Minnesota Department of Health is working directly with poultry workers at the affected facility to ensure that they are taking the proper precautions.

Earlier, APHIS had confirmed another outbreak of H5N2 high-path bird flu in a commercial flock in Nobles county, Minnesota. The flock of 21,000 turkeys is located within the Mississippi flyway where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified.

Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.

APHIS is working closely with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response to both otbreaks. State officials have quarantined both affected premises and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from these flocks will not enter the food system.

CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low. No human infections with the virus have been detected at this time.