Reynolds issues disaster declaration after avian flu found in another Iowa county

(The Center Square) - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster declaration on Thursday after a case of avian flu was found in a flock of turkeys in Sac County.

It's the second case reported this week and the third Iowa case reported in poultry. The flu was found in a dairy herd in Sioux County, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said Wednesday. The latest is the eighth dairy herd in Iowa to be affected, according to the department.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig asked the United States Department of Agriculture for more assistance after a second case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was found in a dairy cattle herd earlier this month.

The outbreaks are not a concern for the food supply, but consumers are advised to properly cook eggs and chicken.

"There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products," the agriculture department said in a news release. "Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk."

Eleven other states have reported avian flu cases in domestic livestock, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The cases stretch across the country from Idaho to North Carolina, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The disaster declaration allows agencies to help with tracking, monitoring, rapid detection, disposal and disinfection, according to Reynolds.