DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — Iowa agriculture officials announced Monday three more cases of bird flu found in Iowa poultry, with a fourth found over the weekend.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said that it and the USDA detected three cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu.

One case was found in a commercial layer flock in Sioux County, another was found in a backyard mixed species flock in Monona County, and a third was detected in a commercial turkey flock in Worth County. Officials also announced a case detected in a commercial layer flock in O’Brien County.

With these new cases of HPAI, there have now been 11 cases of HPAI in Iowa poultry in 2024. There have been multiple detections of bird flu cases in recent weeks, including in Sac, Palo Alto, and Sioux Counties.

The disease affects wild and domestic birds and is often fatal to domestic populations. The disease has also been found in dairy herds, with 13 cases in Iowa this year. Dairy herds often recover with limited deaths.

Officials say that eggs and poultry products remain safe to consume, and a threat to the general public remains low.

Any poultry producers or owners with backyard birds should report any possible signs of HPAI to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship by calling 515-281-5305. Signs of the disease in birds include:  

• Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs 
• Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite 
• Decrease in egg production 
• Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs 
• Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks 
• Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs 
• Difficulty breathing 
• Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose) 
• Stumbling and/or falling down 
• Diarrhea 

Iowa officials are also asking poultry producers, dairy farmers, and other livestock producers in increase their biosecurity. Such resources and recommendations can be found here.