(Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC via AP)

HEALTH

BY Rachel Ryan Wisconsin

PUBLISHED 12:46 PM ET Sep. 15, 2026

BARRON COUNTY, Wis. — Avian flu has been found on a commercial poultry farm in Barron County, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

There is a total of 79,088 birds on the farm, which is now being quarantined and depopulated.

It’s the first case of avian flu in a poultry flock in the state since March and the fifth this year. All the previous cases were found in southern Wisconsin.

Four of the five cases in 2026 were in commercial farms, two in Jefferson County, one in Walworth County, and now the new one in Barron County.

One of the five was found in a backyard flock in Dane County.

In Barron County alone, there have been 12 cases of avian flu since 2022. The 2026 case is the first since 2024.

The highly contagious sickness has been circulating in North America since Dec. 2021. It’s often fatal to domestic poultry and is caused by influenza type A viruses, according to DATCP.

It can be spread when coming in contact with an infected bird or “commingling with wild birds or their droppings, equipment or clothing worn by anyone working with the animals.”

Avian flu found in commercial poultry flock in Barron County