Avian Flu Outbreak Kills 50.54 Million Birds In The US Setting A New Record

(CTN NEWS) – According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data released on Thursday, avian flu has killed 50.54 million birds in the United States this year, making it the deadliest outbreak in history.

The deaths of chickens, turkeys, and other animals mark the largest animal health crisis ever affecting the United States.

The previous record, set in 2015 when 50.5 million birds perished due to an avian flu outbreak, has now been surpassed.

⚠️ Avian flu has wiped out 50.54 million birds in the United States this year, making it the country's deadliest outbreak in history, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Thursday.

– Reuters on https://t.co/ymHY6x4lOb

— PiQ  (@PriapusIQ) November 24, 2022

Following infection, birds frequently pass away. After a bird tests positive, entire flocks—which at egg-laying chicken farms can number more than a million birds—are also killed to stop the disease from spreading.

The cost of Thursday’s Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States increased due to the loss of chicken flocks, which worsened consumer misery from heated inflation and brought egg and turkey meat prices to record highs.

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture points to a more than 70% increase in turkey prices per pound this Thanksgiving based on weekly numbers.https://t.co/ej2P5z7ObP pic.twitter.com/Nw3JcLHFf2

— The National Desk (@TND) November 17, 2022

The avian flu crisis in Europe and Britain is also at its worst; some British shops restricted customers’ egg purchases after the epidemic interrupted supplies.

According to USDA data, the U.S. outbreak, which started in February, affected poultry and non-poultry bird flocks in 46 states.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus is spread by wild birds like ducks by droppings, feathers, or direct contact with poultry.

According to Rosemary Sifford, a chief veterinary officer of the USDA, “Wild birds continue to spread HPAI throughout the country as they migrate.

Therefore, limiting contact between domestic flocks and wild birds is vital to protecting U.S. poultry.”

After stepping up security and cleaning procedures in the wake of the 2015 outbreak, farmers still struggled to keep the disease and wild birds out of their barns.

85% of the cases this year, compared to 30% in 2015, might be directly linked to wild bird origins, the USDA told Reuters.

Government experts are researching diseases at turkey farms to create fresh guidelines for infection prevention.

More than 70% of the commercial poultry farms affected by the outbreak are turkey farms, according to the USDA.

The outbreak provides a low danger to the general public, but people should avoid unprotected contact with birds that appear sick or have died, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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