4.2 million chickens culled due to bird flu outbreak in Iowa

More than 4 million chickens in Iowa will have to be euthanized due to the detection of a highly pathogenic bird flu at a large egg farm, as announced by the state on Tuesday.

Currently, 4.2 million chickens are being culled at a farm in Sioux County, Iowa, following the discovery of the disease, which is part of a continuing outbreak that now includes dairy cattle. Another case of the virus was confirmed last week at an egg farm in western Minneapolis, Minnesota, resulting in the slaughter of nearly 1.4 million chickens.

Since the start of the outbreak in 2022, a total of 92.34 million birds have been culled nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While bird flu is relatively common among poultry, its spread to cattle has raised concerns about the disease. In May, a second dairy farm worker was diagnosed with bird flu, and the virus was found in both beef and milk. It has been reported on dairy cattle farms in nine states.

Officials in health and agriculture have assured the public that the risk is low. The USDA stated that the meat from an infected dairy cow did not enter the food supply and that beef remains safe for consumption.

Individuals exposed to infected animals are at a higher risk. Only three human cases have been confirmed in the United States, including two dairy workers and one man involved in slaughtering infected birds on a poultry farm.