Avian Influenza Outbreak Strikes South Dakota Turkey Farm, Sparking Vigilance

U.S. agricultural and public health authorities are on alert as a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, strikes a large commercial turkey farm in Faulk County, South Dakota. The USDA reports that this is the most recent U.S. case since early July, with 55,400 turkeys affected as of August 28. The infected birds have been euthanized to contain the virus, and a strict control zone is now in force to prevent further spread. According to South Dakota Public Broadcasting, this marks the state’s first confirmed bird flu case since May, ending nearly two months of relative calm in poultry operations.

National surveillance efforts continue as the CDC and the USDA monitor for potential human and animal cases. The CDC has updated its situation summary and reassures the public that, so far, there are no new human infections linked to this Farm outbreak. However, federal and state health officials remain vigilant, especially as autumn migration of wild birds can cause the virus to spread more widely.

In related developments, the FDA issued a warning this week after confirming the presence of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in certain lots of frozen raw cat food produced by RAWR, sold under the name Chicken Eats. The investigation began after a cat in San Francisco fell ill and was ultimately euthanized following consumption of the product. Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the strain found in the cat matched the virus identified in the chicken-based pet food lots with sell-by dates in September and October. The FDA has linked previous similar infections of domestic cats to other raw poultry-based pet foods, raising fresh concerns about the risks of feeding animals uncooked meat products. So far, there have been no U.S. cases detected in dogs, though the FDA notes that both pet cats and some wild mammals are at risk, especially those that are very young, elderly, or have weakened immune systems.

Globally, animal health officials continue to monitor bird flu flare-ups, particularly as migratory patterns shift. While no major new outbreaks outside of the U.S. have been reported in the past 24 hours, authorities remain on heightened alert ahead of the colder months when flu viruses typically increase in both animals and people.

Thank you for tuning in to this update on the bird flu situation. Come back next week for the latest developments. This has been a Quiet Please production— for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.

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