DES MOINES, Iowa — Officials have recently confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza on a commercial turkey flock in Sac County, Iowa, marking the hard-hit state’s eight detection of H5N1 this year.
This announcement was made on Oct. 28 by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
APHIS reports that this recent late October outbreak in Iowa affected approximately 45,000 birds. The state’s last confirmed detection was on Sept. 23 in non-poultry birds in Boone County, of about 140 birds. This is Iowa’s first commercial outbreak since Dec. 3, 2025, which impacted a commercial turkey flock in Hamilton County, and affected about 17,600 birds.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds authorized a HPAI disaster declaration for Sac County on Oct. 28 and is effective immediately and scheduled to run through Nov. 27.
“This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection,” Gov. Reynolds’ announcement noted. “The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.”
Iowa officials are continuing to strongly encourage the state’s poultry producers, as well as backyard flock owners, to maintain the highest level of biosecurity efforts and protocols to keep flocks safe from the virus. The IDALS adds that if birds are suspected to have been infected, producers need to immediately contact their veterinarians and report to the agency at 515-281-5305.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also continues to note that it believes the virus to be a low threat to the general public.
Nationwide in the past 30 days, as of Nov. 4, APHIS reports 35 confirmed HPAI flocks, of which 12 were commercial flocks, 23 backyard flocks, for a total of 2.63 million affected birds.
