The H5 avian influenza has been detected in a 90,000 bird turkey flock in Barron County, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
This discovery is the sixth case in Wisconsin and the second in Barron County. While lethal to domestic poultry, the strain of virus detected is not known to have caused disease in humans and is not expected to pose a risk to public health or the food supply.
The property was immediately quarantined and neighboring properties with poultry will be notified about the situation. Remaining birds will be depopulated and will not enter the food supply.
Following USDA protocols, surveillance and testing procedures will take place at properties near the affected facility to ensure the virus has not spread.
The H5 avian influenza virus was first detected in Wisconsin at a commercial chicken flock in Jefferson County on Monday, April 13, which led to the depopulation of more than 180,000 egg-laying chickens. Since then four additional flocks were detected to have avian flu in Barron, Juneau, Chippewa counties and another in Jefferson bringing the total of birds affected to about 1.2 million in Wisconsin.