Bird flu reappears in Iowa after two-week-plus hiatus

The Iowa Department of Agriculture on Thursday announced the first bird flu outbreak detected in the state in more than two weeks.

The outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza occurred in a commercial turkey flock in Bremer County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said about 30,000 birds were destroyed to contains its spread.

"While this is our first detection of HPAI in Iowa in the last two weeks, we have continued to take the threat of this virus seriously and encourage producers to remain alert,” Mike Naig, Iowa secretary of agriculture, said in a statement.

Iowa was the state hardest hit early in current outbreak of bird flu, with 16 flocks affected and 13.3 million birds destroyed. However, its last outbreak before Wednesday's was April 5 in Hardin County.

More: Bird flu's grisly question: How to kill millions of chickens, turkeys to prevent the virus' spread

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the disease has continued to crop up in other states. The largest bird losses have been in Pennsylvania, with three outbreaks and 3.4 million birds destroyed; Wisconsin, with seven outbreaks and 2.8 million birds destroyed; Nebraska, with six outbreaks and 2.7 million birds destroyed; and Minnesota, with 52 outbreaks and 2.2 million birds destroyed.

Agriculture officials say wild birds spread bird flu.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Bird flu outbreak hits Iowa turkey flock after two-week hiatus