9 more IN turkey farms infected with bird flu

Derrer said Thursday morning that laboratories determined the strain of all ten infected farms in Dubois County was H7N8 – though she said later that additional tests were being done on one of those farms.

Most of the additional tests were done within about a six-mile radius of the infected farms. All of the new infections are within a quarantine area set up around the first farm and that area has been expanded to four neighboring IN counties – Martin, Orange, Crawford and Daviess. Not all the 250,000 had yet been killed, Derrer said, though she did not have specific figures.

According to Denise Derrer, public information director at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, positive results for avian flu were found in one building. She says that’s a sign control measures are working.

“This could have a major, major economic impact on so many people in Dubois County because we are so active in Dubois County in the turkey and chicken business”, Dubois County Council President Greg Kendall told Hoosier Ag Today.

Kalb’s farm had around 60,000 turkeys, but they were euthanized after the strain was located.

Research has shown that wild birds’ northern migration introduced the H5N2 virus, which began to accelerate from farm to farm in the spring. It caused trade partners to stop buying USA eggs and caused the price of eggs within the U.S.to rise. The same can’t be said for the birds themselves, with the discovery of the outbreak coming about after several hundred birds were found dead.

At this point, it isn’t known how H7N8 ended up in IN, though it’s possible it may have been originated among wild birds staying in the state for the winter. But it isn’t clear whether the mild winter weather played a role in the current outbreak, state and federal officials said.

“This finding of highly pathogenic H7N8 is unique to Indiana and the nation”, said Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh.

The H7N8 strain is highly contagious for birds; the USDA said no human infections with the viral strain have been detected. The relatively warm winter we have been experiencing could also be a factor. “It is a significant virus that does need an immediate response in order to contain it and prevent spread to other facilities”.