More cases of deadly bird flu were detected in poultry in northeast Oklahoma in late December. About 130,000 turkeys were culled in the outbreak.

This is the fourth detection of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in Oklahoma commercial poultry flocks since late last year. In all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports about 221,600 birds have been culled because of the outbreaks in Adair County.

Control zones for the birds are in place, and serial surveillance testing is being conducted.

Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland, Oklahoma's Assistant State Veterinarian, said the most recent detections were found during pre-movement testing. She said the same grower owned the flocks, and the confirmed cases were found on Dec. 21 and 22.

“All of our detections have been wild bird introduction, and we know that,” Gorczyca-Southerland said. “That's kind of what's happening across the nation. This is not the dairy strain.”

While HPAI is a year-round concern, the virus is more prevalent while wild birds migrate. She said it’s been warmer, causing a delay in wild birds’ migration to Central and South America.

“We really have not been as cold as normally we are and so the southern migration, in my opinion, these birds are just, they're just chilling,” Gorczyca-Southerland said. “They're like, ‘You know what? There's no rush because it's not cold, yeah?’”

She said people need to be aware of when birds move through the area and increase biosecurity measures to prevent illness. Gorczyca-Southerland said she hopes the winter weather will encourage the birds to move along.

Other cases in commercial flocks have been detected in neighboring states in recent months, according to the USDA. Gorczyca-Southerland said state veterinarians are staying in touch to manage the virus.

As a veterinarian, Gorczyca-Southerland said she is paying attention to the cases in smaller animals and if other cases in novel livestock species happen.

She said people should take biosecurity measures where possible.