State reports bird flu outbreak in Dallas County backyard flock

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship on Tuesday confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a multispecies backyard flock in Dallas County, marking Iowa’s 10th detection of the H5N1 virus in domestic birds this year.

State agriculture officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the virus was identified in a non-commercial flock and urged poultry producers and backyard bird owners to strengthen biosecurity measures. H5N1 can circulate in wild birds without obvious symptoms but is often fatal to domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys.

The latest detection comes as Iowa continues to see heightened activity of the virus in wild birds. Earlier this month, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirmed H5N1 infections in Canada geese at Green Valley Lake near Creston and at Lake of Three Fires near Bedford. State wildlife officials estimate a “couple hundred” wild bird deaths in southwest Iowa so far this winter, the first mass mortality events linked to bird flu in that region since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported.

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According to USDA data, more than 184 million domestic poultry have died and more than 1,000 dairy cattle have been infected by the virus since 2022, along with thousands of confirmed cases in wild birds. USDA’s tracking website shows that in Iowa alone, 47 commercial flocks and 24 backyard flocks have been affected, with more than 30.7 million birds impacted during the current outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health officials stress the public health risk from the virus remains low, and emphasize that poultry and eggs remain safe to eat when cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

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Bird flu is widespread in wild birds and has caused outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with sporadic human cases among dairy and poultry workers, according to the CDC. Since 2024, the United States has recorded 71 human cases and two deaths, and there has been no known person-to-person spread, per the CDC.

State officials continue to advise Iowans to avoid handling sick or dead birds and to keep pets away from dead or sick birds as they can also get sick from the virus.

The DNR asks those who find five or more sick or dead birds within a week to report their findings to their local wildlife biologist or state conservation officer, a directory of which can be found online.

The state has additional guidelines for handling and disposing of dead birds safely.

Lawmakers urge USDA to move faster on bird flu vaccine

As detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza increase this winter, nearly two dozen U.S. senators are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prioritize a vaccine strategy for the virus, according to reporting by the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

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The letter — signed by Iowa Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, among others — notes USDA already has a draft proposal for an avian influenza vaccine strategy under review and urges the department to advance the process “with speed and diligence.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in February announced a $1 billion federal plan to combat the ongoing outbreak, including $100 million for vaccine research and other treatments. However, as of mid-December, a final vaccine proposal had not yet been published in the Federal Register.

Some poultry industry groups have expressed concern that vaccinating birds could disrupt export markets, but the senators said any final strategy should include consultation with industry stakeholders and be grounded in sound science. They also urged USDA to consider vaccine strategies for all affected poultry species and eventually dairy cattle.

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