DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – No new bird flu cases have been reported in nearly a week on commercial farms in Minnesota and Iowa. That has farmers, scientists and government officials hopeful the worst outbreak of bird flu in the U.S. is winding down, though they know it doesn’t mean the outbreak is over.

Farmers are finishing the disposal of turkey and chicken carcasses, disinfecting the barns and preparing to restock with new birds. And scientists trying to develop an effective vaccine, determine how the H5N2 virus evaded biosecurity measures and to establish what can be done to prevent a repeat.

The first turkey barn that was infected in Minnesota is restocking, and Iowa officials say they hope to begin to do the same in several weeks.