A dairy herd from Stearns County in Minnesota has been infected with H5N1 avian flu, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MBAH). The infection was detected through routine testing as part of a state program aimed at monitoring milk samples from 1,600 dairies across the state.
The US Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the findings on March 21, prompting the MBAH to quarantine the affected herd. Although the herd was previously infected in July 2024 and released from quarantine in early September, the current detection is considered a new case.
This incident brings the national total of H5N1 avian flu detections to 990, with California reporting 756 cases. The virus has also been confirmed on commercial turkey farms in Pennsylvania and Illinois, as well as backyard flocks in Missouri, New York, Kansas, New Mexico, and Montana.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/minnesota-milk-surveillance-flags-h5n1-dairy-herd