Iowa Governors Bird Flu Disaster Proclamation Extended to Include More Counties

The bird flu seems to be on the rise in Iowa.  There were a few outbreaks and now it looks as though this could get a little bigger before it abates.

There were a couple of counties that were involved as of a few days ago.  The trouble with bird flu is it can mutate and take out entire flocks before it can be contained  Alright, let’s break this down in a way that’s easy to digest.

What is the Difference Between Low and Highly Pathogenic?

So, when we talk about avian influenza (aka bird flu), we hear terms like “low pathogenic” and “highly pathogenic.” But don’t get confused—this has nothing to do with how contagious the virus is to humans or other animals. Nope, it's all about how bad it is for chickens, turkeys, and even some cows!  The CDC says

• Low pathogenic avian influenza is like the mild version of the flu. It doesn’t cause much trouble for wild birds and usually only gives chickens a slight sniffle if anything. Most of the time, these viruses don’t cause major issues.
• But then, things can get a little scary. Sometimes, these low pathogenic strains can mutate into highly pathogenic ones. And when that happens, they’re like the bad guys—causing serious illness and even death in poultry. These highly contagious strains can spread quickly and wipe out whole flocks of chickens and turkeys (and even some wild birds).

So, in a nutshell: some bird flu viruses are mild and don’t do much damage, but others can turn into full-on poultry nightmares!

What is Iowa Doing to Stop The Bird Flu?

The Governor of Iowa has now included another county as the bird flu continues to take hold.  Sac County is now included in the disaster proclamation effective immediately through January 10, 2025.

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According to CBS, The outbreak was found in a commercial turkey flock. It's the seventh case in Iowa this year, and the fourth case in less than a week after five months of no new poultry cases in Iowa.