By PJ Huffstutter and Leah Douglas
(Reuters) -The ongoing U.S. outbreak of bird flu in dairy cattle reached Minnesota on Thursday as the state announced its first infected herd.
Since late March, more than 80 dairy herds in eleven states have been infected with the virus, and three dairy workers have tested positive for the virus.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health said the farmer of the affected herd reported more than 40 cows showing signs of fever. The animals were tested Monday and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the positive test Wednesday evening.
The animals are recovering, said Brian Hoefs, the state veterinarian.
Milk from the sick cows was thrown away and the state Animal Health Board quarantined the entire herd for 30 days to reduce the risk of the virus spreading off the farm, the agency said. After 30 days from the last positive test result, the herd can be retested for release from quarantine, the agency added.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before this detection would reach our doorstep,” said Hoefs. “It is important for dairy farmers to follow the example of this herd and test sick cows.”
This wasn’t the first Minnesota dairy farm tested for bird flu because cattle showed signs of illness, but it was the first to confirm positive results, Hoefs said.
More samples from dairy farms could be sent to the state laboratory in the coming days, he said.
“Once this news gets out, it will prompt other farms to do the testing if they were previously on the fence,” Hoefs said. “I suspect we will see more testing later this week and next week.”
The other states that have reported infected herds so far are Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas.
Dairy cows with bird flu have been killed or slaughtered by farmers after failing to recover, a Reuters report has found. The USDA said the vast majority of cows recover from the disease.
