The worst appears over for bird flu in Minnesota poultry operations

It has been more than two weeks since bird flu was detected at a commercial poultry operation in Minnesota, offering hope that the worst of the outbreak may be over.

"This is really encouraging news, that things are winding down," said interim state veterinarian Dr. Linda Glaser. "I'm hopeful we can stay on this trajectory."

As of Wednesday, nearly 2.9 million birds have been infected or killed to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic bird flu in Minnesota, the country's leading turkey-producing state. Nationwide about 38 million birds have been affected in 35 states by its rapid spread.

The poultry industry welcomed the positive trend but many insist biosecurity protocols must be maintained.

"The turkey industry cannot let its guard down, even after this outbreak is over," said National Turkey Federation spokeswoman Beth Breeding. "Even with a decline in detections, farmers will continue to deal with the aftermath of avian influenza and the thorough cleaning and disinfecting processes required before production begins again."

The virus does not threaten the food supply and is a low risk for humans — just one human case has been reported in a poultry worker in Colorado; that person has since recovered. But the bird flu outbreak has disrupted poultry farms and devastated wildlife. The price of eggs has spiked as hard-hit states like Iowa lose millions of chickens to the outbreak.

Experts predicted warmer and drier weather would slow and eventually stop the spread, as the H5N1 strain of influenza has a hard time surviving in such conditions. The virus has largely been spread by wild migratory birds.

The 2015 bird-flu outbreak, which claimed 9 million birds in Minnesota, saw its last reported cases in mid-June, Glaser said.

"We had a faster rise and peak this time, so hopefully we'll see it end sooner than it did in 2015," she said. Almost all of the state's infections were reported in April after the first case was found March 25. Just 120,000 birds have been infected or culled in May.

Though the fall migration did not bring a renewed wave of infections in 2015, it's too early to know if that will be the case this year. Glaser cautioned those with backyard chickens and other poultry to remain vigilant and take biosecurity measures.

That continues to be the case in commercial flocks. Minnesota raises about 40 million turkeys per year on 660 farms; nearly all of the state's bird flu casualties came from these operations.

None of the state's 57 commercial operations with bird flu outbreaks have been released from quarantine yet, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. The end of the outbreak will allow farms to restock and bring operations back online.

"We've got a group working really hard on this next phase," Glaser said, "making sure the virus is cleared, getting barns restocked and getting back to the business of raising poultry in Minnesota."