Bird flu hits estimated 26 million chickens, turkeys in Iowa

Cases of avian influenza climbed to 60 Tuesday in Iowa, with four operations believed infected with the virus, including another backyard flock.

The birds infected with H5N2 have nearly reached 26 million across 14 counties, mostly in northwest Iowa. Most of the cases have been at commercial chicken or turkey operations, but five backyard flocks have been infected.

Birds at the infected facilities are quarantined and destroyed. Commercial and backyard flocks within 6.2 miles are quarantined and tested.

Avian influenza is suspected at these farms, due to higher bird deaths. Additional testing will be completed:

Buena Vista County

• 24,000 turkeys on a commercial operation.

Sioux County

• 150,000 chickens at a commercial egg-laying facility.
• 100,000 pullets, or young hens, at a commercial operation.
• 15 chickens in a backyard flock.

State and federal health officials have stressed that they consider the risk to people from the virus to be low. No human infections with the virus have been detected and there is no food safety risk for consumers.