Worst Avian Flu Outbreak of All Time Kills 50 Million Birds from 46 States, US

The count of casualties has moved well past 50 million birds across 46 states, making this the worst avian flu outbreak of all time for the US.

The Department of Agriculture reports that 50.54 million US birds have perished, and the number is still rising. This represents the worst animal health disaster in US history.

The flu spreads quickly among birds and impacts turkeys, chickens, and other species. This has a significant negative impact on poultry farmers. Wild birds can also spread it, which has increased the overall affected area.

The cost of Thursday's Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States increased due to the loss of poultry flocks, which worsened consumer pain from hot inflation and sent egg and turkey meat prices to record highs. The avian flu crisis in Europe and Britain is also at its worst; as a result, some British grocery stores rationed their customers' egg purchases.

Wild birds are known to carry the virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), in their droppings, feathers, or through direct contact with poultry. These birds include ducks, mallards, and hawks.

46 States, US

According to data from the USDA, the outbreak started in February and affected both poultry and non-poultry birds throughout 46 states.

Rosemary Sifford, the chief veterinary officer from USDA said that to protect US poultry, it is essential to avoid interaction between wild birds and domestic flocks since wild birds continue spreading HPAI throughout the nation as they migrate.

Interestingly, only around 30% of the cases in the 2015 outbreak could be directly linked to wild bird origins, a significant decrease from 85% this year, the USDA told Reuters.

Read also: Bird Flu Takes 700 Wild Vultures in Georgia Sanctuary, State Workers Euthanize 30 Other Birds 

Removing Bird Feeders

More than 70% of the commercial poultry farms that are infected throughout this avian flu outbreak, according to the USDA, are turkey farms. Government officials are researching these turkey farms to learn how to prevent further infections.

Despite stating that there is little risk to humans, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still advises against handling sick or dead birds.

This year, the flu began to cause concern earlier on. To stop birds, particularly migratory species, from gathering and spreading the avian flu, some states have asked residents to remove their bird feeders from the outside.

Residents in both Michigan and Illinois were advised to take down their bird feeders by the Department of Natural Resources. PEOPLE contacted Dr. Gail Hansen, DVM, MPH, from the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, a division of the Humane Society of the United States, to find out more about why wildlife experts advise taking this precaution.

Hansen said that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is easily transmitted on surfaces that have been contaminated with virus particles, as well as through bird droppings and respiratory secretions. The virus is resilient and can endure cold and subfreezing conditions. This is the rationale behind the request that birdfeeders be taken down by some state agencies.

She added that bird feeders encourage various bird species to congregate where the virus could be easily transmitted between them, and the shared surfaces might temporarily harbor the virus, PEOPLE reports.

Related article: 29,000 Turkeys Killed to Prevent a Highly Pathogenic Strain of Bird Flu in the U.S.