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Iowa Ag Department says bird flu found at 4 more sites

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Agriculture Department is announcing four more bird flu cases, including at a chicken operation with an estimated 1 million birds.

The department Friday said probable cases of the avian influenza virus have been found at an egg-laying operation with about 1 million birds in Madison County and three turkey farms in Sac, Pocahontas and Cherokee counties. An estimate of the number of turkeys wasn't available.

The four new cases bring the total to 17 instances of the virus in Iowa and more than 16 million birds. Once the virus is found at a site, all birds must be killed to prevent spread of the disease.

Nationally, producers must kill more than 21 million turkeys and chickens due to the virus.

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