Saint Paul: Minnesota entered the fray of the ongoing avian flu outbreak in the United States on Thursday, reporting its first infected dairy herd amidst a nationwide surge in cases.
Since late March, over 80 dairy herds in 11 states have fallen victim to the virus, with three dairy workers also testing positive for the illness.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health disclosed that the farmer overseeing the affected herd reported more than 40 cows displaying fever symptoms. Subsequently, tests were conducted on Monday, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the positive diagnosis on Wednesday night.
State veterinarian Brian Hoefs reassured the public that the infected animals are on the path to recovery. The milk from the affected cows was appropriately disposed of, and the entire herd has been placed under a 30-day quarantine by the state Board of Animal Health to contain the potential spread of the virus beyond the farm premises. Following this period, the herd can undergo retesting for release from quarantine.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before this detection would reach our doorstep,” remarked Hoefs. “It’s important for dairy farmers to follow the example of this herd and test sick cows.”
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While this wasn’t the first dairy farm in Minnesota to be tested for avian flu due to cattle displaying symptoms, it marked the first confirmation of positive results, according to Hoefs. He indicated that additional samples from dairy farms may be sent to the state lab in the coming days.
“As news spreads, it tends to prompt other farms to consider testing if they were previously undecided,” Hoefs noted. “I anticipate we will observe more testing later this week into next week.”
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The states reporting infected herds thus far include Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas.
Despite some dairy cows succumbing to avian flu or being culled by farmers due to non-recovery, the USDA maintains that the vast majority of affected cows do recover from the illness.
