USDA and market reports on average egg prices

H5N1 Avian Influenza Spreads Across U.S., Affecting Poultry and Dairy, Causing Egg Price Surge and First Human Death

Jan 17, 2025, 06:22 PM

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has continued to spread across the United States, affecting both poultry and dairy cattle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported three recent outbreaks in backyard flocks across three different counties, and two more infections in commercial turkey farms in Ohio. The virus has also impacted dairy herds, with 711 herds in California infected, of which 143 have cleared the virus and been released from quarantine. The USDA has updated its policy to enhance surveillance of turkey flocks in affected states. In Maryland, a third case of bird flu was confirmed at a second Caroline County farm, prompting quarantine measures. The virus has also been detected in a backyard flock in Connecticut and a commercial poultry operation in Georgia, leading to a statewide shutdown of poultry events. The spread of H5N1 has raised concerns about egg prices, which have increased from an average of $2.51 to $4.15 per dozen over the last year, with some regions reporting prices as high as $9.99. In response to the outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that manufacturers of raw pet food consider H5N1 in their food safety plans, following reports of cats dying from consuming contaminated raw food. The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted a rise in human cases of H5N1, with 66 human cases reported in the U.S. since early 2024, including the first U.S. death. Dairy farm workers are among the most vulnerable, and an experimental vaccine has shown to be fully protective in mice against the virus circulating in U.S. cattle. Scientists are monitoring the virus for potential mutations that could increase its transmissibility among humans.