BREAKING NEWS Bird Flu Update: Turkey farm hit in northern Steele County

UPDATE 4/30/2015:
 
The Times has learned that the bird flu has swept through a turkey farm in the northeastern part of Steele County. 
Officials have not identified the farm involved, but a source has told the Times that it is a large turkey farm in Merton Township, which is located east of Medford in the far northern part of the county. The Steele County case is the 67th confirmed case of bird flu to sweep through turkey operations in Minnesota over the past month and the first in southeastern Minnesota. Most of the others have been in the western part of the state.
More than 3.5 million turkeys have been infected with the bird flu across the state. The Steele County farm has around 150,000 turkeys infected, according to the source. 
County administrator Laura Elvebak said an incident action plan has been implemented to eliminate the influenza on the Steele County farm. The county is working with the USDA and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health on this outbreak. 
Once a farm has been infected, on-the-ground response efforts begin immediately, according to Elvebak. She said the county’s emergency’s management director, Mike Johnson, is coordinating the local effort. 
Elvebak said animal health officials carry out a number of activities according to protocols established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in order to manage the disease and reduce any potential risk of its spread. These activities take place not only on the affected premises, but also in two areas around the affected premises called the control area and surveillance zone.
Avian influenza is a respiratory disease of birds caused by an influenza type A virus. The Minnesota Department of Health reports that no human infections with this strain of the virus have been detected in Minnesota or elsewhere in the U.S.
The Times will have more on this developing story as it becomes available.
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The USDA confirmed the presence of the H5N2 HPAI (Avian Influenza) in Steele County.
The detection is the first within Steele County. The detected flock is currently under quarantine and commercial flocks within a 10 km control area will be under surveillance. State and local emergency management officials are working in collaboration with Steele County officials and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, the USDA and several other state and federal agencies to work alongside poultry producers and eliminate the influenza within area flocks.
Avian influenza, or “bird flu” is a virus that infects domestic poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, quail, and geese. Influenza is a virus that can infect humans and many animal species, including poultry and other birds. Influenza is not uncommon and it has been around for centuries. Influenza in poultry is not a food safety or public health issue. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reports that no human infections with this strain of the virus (H5N2) have been detected in Minnesota or elsewhere in the U.S. Individuals with questions or concerns regarding the Avian Influenza and/or biosecurity should contact the Avian Influenza hotline at 888‐702‐9963.