By Lisa Schnirring
Over the past 2 days, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported more H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in poultry in nine states, including more layer farms in Ohio, one of the states hit hardest over the past several weeks.
Other states reporting outbreaks at commercial poultry farms include Colorado, as well as Pennsylvania and Indiana two states that have also reported numerous recent outbreaks. Pennsylvania’s latest outbreaks include duck and broiler farms, and the latest event in Indiana affected a layer farm in Jay County that has nearly 1 million birds.
Separately, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship yesterday reported an outbreak in a turkey flock in Buena Vista county, the state’s third of 2025.
APHIS said the virus also continues to hit backyard flocks in several states, with the most recent detections in Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, Wyoming, and New York.
Since the virus first emerged in US poultry in early 2022, outbreaks have led to the loss of a record 159 million birds across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Wisconsin among states warning of wild bird detections
Meanwhile, states continue to note detections in wild birds and have urged the public to avoid handling wild birds.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources today said a wild merganser from Milwaukee County has tested presumptive positive for H5 avian flu and that it has received reports of sick or dead waterfowl, mostly mergansers, along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties.
Since the middle of December, the state has reported wild bird detections in six counties, mostly involving swans and Canada geese.
Jasmine Batten, the group’s wildlife supervisor, said this winter’s detections have remained relatively low, but the recent detections are a reminder that the virus is still in Wisconsin. “The best advice we can give is to remain aware and avoid handling wild birds as much as possible.”
Source : umn.edu