Dozens of newly confirmed cases of avian influenza and the first verified U.S. case of a new strain of the virus are raising concerns that the bird flu crisis may be entering a troubling new phase. Why it matters: The cases,

Since November 2023, more than 12.1 million birds on commercial flocks have been affected in Sioux County, Iowa, alone. In flocks where bird flu is detected, all birds are destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease, according to reporting by Investigate Midwest.

Iowa has confirmed its second case of bird flu witihin domestic birds in 2025.The Iowa Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture