The recent cold weather has led to a notable increase in cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), impacting commercial flocks across several states and extending into Canada, as reported by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
In Benton County, Missouri, a flock of 16,600 birds marks the state’s first HPAI case in nearly a year.
Additionally, Minnesota has reported an outbreak affecting a 71,000-bird turkey flock. South Dakota has seen three separate turkey flocks with a combined total of 183,700 birds hit by the disease, and Montana reported a smaller outbreak in a flock of 4,000 birds.
In Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recorded a new case of HPAI at a commercial poultry farm in Alberta, the sixth such case in the province. British Columbia is facing a more severe situation, with six new HPAI outbreaks confirmed in a single day. This brings the total number of active HPAI sites in British Columbia to 28, highlighting the widespread nature of this avian health crisis.
