Revelation 6:7,8 NCV When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse. Its rider was named death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill people by war, by starvation, by disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.
Four new cases of bird flu have been found in Iowa including one farm with 2.8 million laying hens. Three of the new cases are at commercial turkey farms in Buena Vista and Cherokee Counties.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture says that 19.4 million birds will be destroyed because of the virus, although that estimate did not include the number birds from the commercial turkey farms.
The farms will be quarantined and all the turkeys destroyed according to officials. Every flock within 6.2 miles of the infected farms will be quarantined and tested to see if the virus has spread beyond the four new infected locations.
Governor Terry Branstad has declared a state of emergency so that state agencies can take strong measures to stop the virus from continuing to spread. Cherokee, Clay, Kossuth, Madison, O’Brien, Osceola, Pocahontas, Sac and Sioux counties have all been impacted by the virus.
Scientists speculate that migratory birds such as ducks and geese have spread the virus through their droppings on the farms. Farm workers then unknowingly spread the virus through dust or bird feathers.
The risk to humans is considered low according to health officials.
The outbreak is also causing concern among grocers because there is only seven months to Thanksgiving and it’s possible the farms will not be able to meet the demand for turkeys on the holiday. The cost of turkey could skyrocket because of short supply.
