Bird flu reported in Iowa for the first time in 2024

The first outbreak of bird flu to strike Iowa this year has been detected in a commercial layer chicken operation in Sioux County, the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced Tuesday.

It’s the first report of the highly contagious avian influenza in Iowa since a backyard mixed species flock in Mahaska County was confirmed to be infected over five months ago, on Dec. 19, 2023.

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Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a disaster proclamation for Sioux County effective through June 27, allowing resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the state ag department and other agencies to assist with tracking, monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal and disinfection.

In all of 2023 in Iowa, there were 21 confirmed outbreaks of bird flu, claiming well over 3 million birds. Entire flocks are euthanized after an infection is found to curtail the disease from spreading. Officials believe the main culprit in transmitting the virus to poultry is migrating wild birds.

Since 2020, a bird flu virus has been spreading worldwide among more animal species — including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even seals and porpoises — the Associated Press reported. In the United States, two workers — one in Texas in March and one in Michigan last week — became infected from working near dairy cows. Both recovered.

As of Friday, the virus had been confirmed in 51 dairy herds in nine states, the U.S. Agriculture Department said. None were in Iowa.

State officials say that farmers who suspect either their poultry or their dairy cows have been exposed to bird flu should contact their veterinarian immediately.