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A surprising source is to blame for the recent death of thousands of fish in one Minnesota lake, according to the Lakes Foundation of Albert Lea. The organization believes that a strain of the herpes virus is to blame.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conducted local watershed and pathology tests and found that Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) caused the death of between "1,000 - 2,000 common carp and a handful of catfish, largemouth bass, and black bullhead observed dead" on Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. Apparently, KHV has been documented in multiple lakes throughout southern Minnesota in the last five years.
"We think this virus has been around a while and is relatively widespread and presents itself when the carp population and environmental conditions are ideal for the virus to induce a fish kill," the Lakes Foundation of Albert Lea wrote in a Facebook post. The Lakes Foundation of Albert Lea also explained what KHV is and what it affects in the post, which you can view here.
According to the Rock River Coalition, Koi Herpes Virus does not affect humans. In fact, you can even eat fish that have been infected by the virus if the fish are fresh, properly handled and cooked.