Serious Strain of Bird Flu Found in Minnesota Turkey Flock

ST. PAUL (AP) - Federal officials say a serious strain of bird flu has been found in a Minnesota commercial turkey flock.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the finding in Pope County, in western Minnesota, is the first appearance of the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain in the Mississippi flyway.

It's the same strain of avian influenza that has been confirmed in backyard and wild birds in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Officials consider the risk to people to be low. No human infections have been detected.

Minnesota is among the nation's top turkey producers, with industry groups claiming to produce some 46 million turkeys each year.