The United States poultry industry recorded new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on April 8, affecting commercial operations in both the Midwest and Great Plains. A flock of 65,800 meat turkeys in Hutchinson County, South Dakota, tested positive, while a separate case was confirmed in LaGrange County, Indiana, involving 19,500 meat ducks. The findings were reported by the United States Department of Agriculture through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
These detections marked a return of the virus in commercial flocks after a brief lull. The previous confirmed cases had occurred on April 3, when three separate flocks in Indiana—one group of table egg pullets and two meat duck flocks—were affected. Prior to that, the most recent case outside Indiana and South Dakota had been identified on March 27, when 18,000 meat ducks in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, were infected.
The latest developments continue to add to this year’s totals in affected states. Indiana has now seen 40 commercial poultry flocks impacted by HPAI in 2026, maintaining its position as one of the hardest-hit areas. South Dakota has recorded six affected flocks so far this year.
The reappearance of the virus following several days without new commercial cases underscores the ongoing risk HPAI poses to the U.S. poultry sector, particularly in regions with concentrated production.
