Avian flu outbreak kills record of more than 50 million birds in the US

The bird flu has killed 50.54 million birds in the United States this year, making it the deadliest outbreak in history of the country, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture showed this Thursday.

The death of chickens, turkeys and other birds represents the worst animal health disaster in the United States to date, surpassing the previous record of 50.5 million birds culled or killed in a 2015 outbreak.

Birds often die after becoming infected. Entire flocks, which can exceed a million birds on layer farms, are also culled to control the spread of the disease after a bird tests positive.

The losses of poultry sent prices of turkey eggs and meat to record highs, worsening the economic pain for consumers facing red-hot inflation and making Christmas celebrations more expensive. Thanksgiving Day in United States.

Europe and Britain are also experiencing their worst bird flu crises and some British supermarkets have rationed customers’ egg purchases after the outbreak disrupted supplies.

The US outbreak, which began in February, has infected flocks of poultry and other species in 46 states, USDA data shows. Wild birds such as ducks transmit the virus, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), through their feces, feathers, or direct contact with poultry.

“Wild birds continue to spread HPAI across the country as they migrate, so avoiding contact between domestic flocks and wild birds is critical to protecting America’s poultry,” said Rosemary Sifford, USDA’s chief veterinary officer. .

Producers have struggled to keep the disease and wild birds off their farms after increasing safety and cleaning measures after the 2015 outbreak. This year, about 30% of cases were traced directly to the birds’ origins. wild, compared with 85% this year, the USDA told Reuters.