By Scout Nelson
After a quiet summer, H5N1 avian influenza has returned to U.S. poultry operations, with several new outbreaks reported across the Midwest during September 2026. Minnesota and the Dakotas have been among the hardest-hit areas as migratory bird activity increases during the fall season.
According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), four poultry facilities recently confirmed avian flu outbreaks. Three of the affected facilities were commercial turkey or duck operations.
Minnesota remains the primary hotspot, with two commercial turkey farms in Stearns County reporting outbreaks affecting more than 108,000 birds. The cases highlight ongoing risks for large-scale poultry operations despite seasonal declines earlier in the year.
Additional outbreaks were reported in Indiana and Iowa. A commercial duck breeding operation in Indiana affected 24,300 birds, while a backyard flock in Iowa reported 140 infected birds.
During the past 30 days, H5N1 has been confirmed in 14 commercial flocks and seven backyard flocks nationwide, impacting about 620,000 birds. Minnesota alone accounted for more than 338,000 affected birds, while outbreaks in North and South Dakota affected nearly 177,000 birds.
The number of infected birds has risen sharply from August levels, indicating increased viral activity heading into the fall. Experts attribute part of the increase to seasonal migration, which raises interactions between wild birds and domestic poultry.
Wild bird detections have also grown, with about 40 new cases reported recently. Positive samples were identified in hunter-harvested birds in Kansas and Iowa, reinforcing the importance of wildlife surveillance.
Outside the United States, Cambodia reported its sixth human H5N1 case of 2026. The patient, a 49-year-old farm worker who had contact with sick poultry, remains hospitalized.
Since 2023, Cambodia has recorded 40 human H5N1 infections, many linked to a reassortant virus - a new hybrid virus created when two different viral strains infect the same cell and swap entire segments of their genome - combining older local strains with the globally circulating clade 2.3.4.4b virus. Health officials continue monitoring the situation closely due to the high fatality rate associated with these infections.
The resurgence of H5N1 highlights the ongoing need for strong biosecurity measures, disease monitoring, and surveillance of migratory birds to help protect both commercial and backyard poultry flocks.
Photo Credit: istock-peopleImages
Categories: Minnesota, Livestock