ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Board of Animal Health Tuesday lifted the final quarantines on farms affected by bird flu earlier this year.
Most of the previously infected sites were cleared to restock turkeys or chickens on Oct. 6, and now the few remaining sites have completed measures to allow birds to return to the facilities. Farmers were required to take several steps to make sure any flu virus was eliminated before the state allows birds back on the farm. “Minnesota poultry growers have worked tirelessly alongside animal health officials to eliminate this disease from our state,” said Dr. Bill Hartmann, state veterinarian and executive director of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
The "highly pathogenic avian influenza" hit 108 Minnesota farms in 23 counties.
More than nine million birds either died of the flu or were euthanized to prevent its spread. The first case was diagnosed March 5, the last one June 5.
“While seeing no new cases of HPAI is encouraging, we know that detecting future cases remains a possibility,” Hartmann said.
