Another possible avian flu case reported in Dubois County

DUBOIS COUNTY, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A second turkey farm in Dubois County could possibly be dealing with another case of avian influenza. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health says the farm is in close proximity to the initial farm that was diagnosed with a confirmed case of a highly pathogenic strain of the flu earlier this month.

The BOAH is considering the case at the second farm to be a presumptive-positive case and samples are currently being verified at the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa.

The agency says the pending test results should indicate if the virus is the same as the first farm and if it is also highly pathogenic.

The second farm, which is already under quarantine because of its proximity to the first, has more than 26,000 turkeys. The BOAH says the flock was tested after the owner noticed the birds weren’t drinking as much water, which is a “clinical sign of avian influenza.”

The BOAH says because of the second farm’s location, the previously-established 10-kilometer control area will not be extended. However, the agency has established a surveillance zone around the control area to allow for additional monitoring, though commercial poultry operations in that zone will not be forced to quarantine and will be tested at less-frequent intervals.