Avian Flu Confirmed In Mallards In Hennepin, Anoka Counties: USDA

HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN — As the highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to spread among commercial turkey flocks in Minnesota, the number of wild birds with the virus is also climbing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the virus in the past week in two mallards in Anoka County and one in Hennepin County, as well as a Canadian goose in Blue Earth County.

The virus was also detected March 31 in a bald eagle in Dakota County and a great horned owl in Kandiyohi County, where officials have confirmed the HPAI virus at five commercial turkey farms. Those five farms have just under 170,000 birds, according to data from the USDA and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

HPAI has been confirmed at 28 sites in 14 counties, with more than 1.3 million birds among the diseased flocks, as of Monday, according to the Board of Animal Health. All but two of those two dozen sites are commercial turkey farms or poultry processors.

$1M In Emergency Funds OK’d As Avian Flu Outbreak Hits 1M Birds In MN

The avian flu was first detected March 25 in Minnesota.

Minnesota state lawmakers on Thursday approved $1 million in emergency funding to fight the quickly growing outbreak in Minnesota for the next few weeks while the legislature is not in session.

MN Bans Poultry Sales, Exhibitions Amid Avian Flu Outbreak

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has imposed a temporary ban on poultry sales and exhibitions until May 1. The ban includes all poultry community sales, swaps, fairs, exhibitions and other events where poultry and other birds are brought into close contact.

Minnesota leads the U.S. in turkey production, with almost 700 farms producing about 40 million birds per year, the Associated Press reports.