Bird flu spreads in Renville County; USDA says vaccines only 60 percent effective

Two more Minnesota farms have been hit by the avian flu virus.

State Board of Animal Health officials say the virus appears to have hit a farm with more than 400,000 young chickens and a turkey flock of undetermined size, bringing to 8 the number of sites affected in Renville County.

The new outbreaks raise the state's total to 106 poultry sites infected since early March, said Beth Thompson, a senior veterinarian for the Board of Animal Health. Nearly 9 million birds have been lost to avian influenza in the state.

Meanwhile, officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture say current vaccines are only 60 percent effective against the virus. They say available bird flu vaccines are inefficient and likely would pose problems for exporters of poultry meat.