Avian Flu Hits Turkey Farms, Killing 115,400 Birds in North Dakota & South Dakota

Avian flu has hit turkey farms in both North and South Dakota, marking the first commercial poultry outbreaks in the U.S. since early July. South Dakota confirmed an outbreak in Faulk County that killed 55,400 birds, while North Dakota destroyed 60,000 birds at a Dickey County turkey farm, according to Jeff Beach from the North Dakota Monitor’s initial report on this. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the outbreaks aren’t unexpected as birds gather for fall migration. The CDC maintains that public health risk remains low, though the virus has also spread to dairy cattle and some humans, with one human fatality. These are the first commercial flock cases since July 2nd in Pennsylvania.