article: A virulent strain of bird flu continues to hammer the Midwest and the virus recently took its biggest toll yet after it hit a farm in Iowa that held nearly 10 percent of the state's egg-laying chickens. Poultry producers and scientists had been hoping warmer weather would knock down the deadly bird flu virus. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that the H5N2 bird flu virus had been found at a farm in northwest Iowa's Osceola County - prompting a massive bird cull. Bird flu: Chickens stand in their cages at a farm near Stuart, Iowa. Discovery of the bird flu on an Iowa turkey farm has raised serious concerns that the bird killer could find its way into chicken barns in the nation's top egg-producing state and rapidly decimate the flocks that provide the U.S. with its breakfast staple . The confirmation means up to 5.3 million hens there must be destroyed in a state that produces one in every five eggs consumed in the country. Seven other Midwestern states have also been hit by the virus, dooming nearly 7.8 million turkeys and chickens since March. The virulent strain in question is the H5N2, a highly contagious virus that kills commercial poultry quickly once it gets into a barn. Yet the risk to the public is considered low and infected birds are being kept out of the food supply. So far, only two egg operations have been hit — the one in Iowa and one in Wisconsin. Except for a couple of backyard flocks, all the other cases in the Midwest have been at commercial turkey farms. Minnesota has had 28 turkey farms hit, far more than any other state. Turkey farm: In this photo provided by Bethany Hahn is a flock of turkeys at a Minnesota poultry farm. The country's poultry industry may have to live with a deadly bird flu strain for several years according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture . Precautions: Most commercial poultry barns are shut tight to keep the diseases out, and poultry farms with good biosecurity strictly limit who is allowed in - but is does not always protect poultry from bird flu . Officials say that's because Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state, and its thousands of lakes and ponds are attractive to migrating ducks and other waterfowl. H5N2 and other highly pathogenic strains have also been found since late last year among wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial farms in some western states and British Columbia. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials say the virus could be a problem for several years. The USDA's chief veterinary officer, Dr. John Clifford, said last week that while new cases should drop close to zero once the weather warms up and kills off the virus there's 'very likely' to be a resurgence this fall when the wild waterfowl that are natural carriers of avian influenza fly south for the winter. An outbreak that kills tens of thousands of birds certainly can cost a farm dearly. The government doesn't compensate producers for birds that die of the disease itself, but it does reimburse them for birds that have to be euthanized as a precaution. That gives farmers an incentive to report suspected outbreaks and deal with them swiftly. Outbreaks do not always drive up the cost of turkey eggs and chicken as the toll nationwide represents just a small part of U.S. production. Hormel Foods Corp., which owns Jennie-O, said Monday that it will sell less turkey this year because of the outbreaks. Turkey prices around the holidays often have nothing to do with the costs of production. Retailers often sell turkeys at a loss just to draw in customers who'll stock up on stuffing mix, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pies and other traditional favorites. However, several precautions have been put in place at farms to control the outbreak and stop the spread of bird flu. Most commercial poultry barns are shut tight to keep the diseases out, and poultry farms with good biosecurity strictly limit who is allowed in. Other precautions  include workers often having to shower on their way in and out, wear protective coveralls and step in disinfectant to kill viruses on their boots. Equipment coming in and out is typically sanitized. But despite these measures, the system doesn't always work. According to experts, the only way it can work is if everyone does everything right all of the time - which can prove difficult. And if rodents and wild birds sneak into a barn it can bring the virus that way. Farms tend to be extremely diligent at handling  bird flu as turkeys die quickly and know how to spit the early warning signs. Less severe symptoms can be similar to colds and flu in humans, or a flock turning quiet. While vaccines have been used around the world to protect flocks against various bird flu strains ahead of time, this strain is new to North America. Once an infection is confirmed at a farm, all surviving birds on the property are typically killed to prevent it from spreading. These flocks are usually killed by pumping a water-based foam into the barn, following guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The foam suffocates the birds within minutes. If birds die they usually cover them in compost in the same barn where they died. Composting is a widely used and approved method throughout the industry to dispose of dead birds. It's thought to be an effective method as the heat generated by composting is enough to kill flu viruses and other pathogens commonly present in poultry such as salmonella. The compost is then used as fertilizer.
highlights: The deadly H5N2 bird flu virus has been found at a farm in northwest Iowa .
  Up to 5.3 million hens must be destroyed in the state to contain outbreak .
  Seven other Midwestern states have also been hit by the deadly virus .
  Minnesota, the top turkey-producing state has been severally effected .
  Nearly 7.8 million turkeys and chickens have died or been culled since March .
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