ELLENDALE, N.D. (AP) - State officials say the first case of a deadly bird flu has been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in southeastern North Dakota.
State Veterinarian Susan Keller says the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa confirmed the H5N2 strain of avian influenza in the flock of 40,000 turkeys in Dickey County, which borders South Dakota.
The U.S. in recent months has seen a dramatic increase in cases of the highly pathogenic strain affecting poultry. More than a million turkeys in the Midwest have died as a result of the disease.
Keller says quarantine efforts are underway and expects they will begin killing the remaining birds on the property by early next week.
Officials stress the risk to public health is low and that there's no danger to the food supply.