WASHINGTON – Federal agriculture officials noted five additional confirmed cases of H5N2 avian influenza in Iowa, according to data from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture.

On April 29, APHIS confirmed H5N2 avian influenza at a commercial turkey flock of 50,000 in Buena Vista County.


On April 28, presence of the virus was confirmed at a commercial laying operation with 3,660,000 birds in Sioux County. Officials also confirmed H5N2 at two laying operations in O’Brien County, according to APHIS data. A total of 338,000 birds were culled. Finally, tests confirmed H5N2 at a commercial laying operation of 258,000 chickens in Osceola County.

Iowa's first confirmed case of H5N2 was a turkey farm under contract with Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods, Inc. Hormel Food Corp., Austin Minn. and Brentwood, Mo.-based Post Holdings also reported outbreaks in poultry flocks tended by contract growers.