Monday, the Guardian reported a human case of H5N1 in England “as bird flu cases escalate across the country.” It is the second case; the first was in 2022. Both had direct contact with infected birds.
In the past year, the U.S. has “recorded 67 confirmed human cases of bird flu, most of which were found in people working in poultry or dairy farms.” One person, in Louisiana, died earlier this year.
“It is arguably grossly irresponsible for the US authorities to allow such sustained high levels of [H5N1] virus transmission in dairy cattle,” Professor James Wood, Cambridge, told the the Financial Times on Saturday. The US, you may be surprised to know, has the most cases of humans infected with H5N1 bird flu of any country in the world.
We have had 943 confirmed cases of bird flu in dairy cattle in 16 states. Only recently has USDA embarked on a more aggressive testing protocol. Pasteurized milk is safe; raw milk is not.
Since January 2022, when the virus was detected in wild aquatic birds in the United States, it has affected more than 136 million commercial, backyard and wild birds, helping to send egg prices soaring. It has also struck dozens of mammalian species, including cats both wild and domesticated, raccoons, bears and sea lions…
Many of these developments are classic steps toward a pandemic, said Dr. James Lawler, a director at the University of Nebraska’s Global Center for Health Security. But, he noted, “where those were really supposed to trigger accelerated and amplified actions at the federal, state and local level, we’ve just kind of shrugged when each milestone has passed…
“We are clearly now getting novel viruses forming in the wild bird reservoir,” Dr. Moncla said. “It’s become challenging to keep a handle on all of the various threats.””
Recent cases have been found in commercial poultry broiler operations – where chickens are raised for butchering. Two broiler farms in Georgia; four on the eastern shore of Maryland; and one in Virginia have been identified. Broilers in Arkansas are also infected; all chickens must be killed.
It’s not just chickens. H5N1 has been detected in two Missouri meat turkey farms.
A new form of bird flu, H5N9, was detected in a California duck farm on Monday.
Turning to eggs
Fewer chickens laying eggs, higher egg prices.
The latest outbreaks: Indiana and Pennsylvania, but Ohio leads the nation. We’re talking millions of layers, butchered.
In December, the U.S. had approximately 373 million egg-laying hens. In 2021, before this latest onslaught, there were approximately 381 million egg-laying hens.
Most lay their eggs living in a cage.
According to the CDC, 145,077,200 layers (chickens raised for their eggs) have been killed due to flock infections since January 2022. (No date on that data point; the CDC has been muzzled for a week.) It is the largest avian flu outbreak in U.S. history.
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com