A poultry facility in Michigan and egg producer in Texas both reported outbreaks of avian flu this week. The latest developments on the virus also include infected dairy cows and the first known instance of a human catching bird flu from a mammal.
Although health officials say the risk to the public remains low, there is rising concern, emerging in part from news that the largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. reported an outbreak.
Here are some key things to know about the disease.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the agency is taking bird flu seriously, but stressed that the virus has already been well studied.
The fact that it is in cattle now definitely raises our concern level, Cohen said, noting that it means farmworkers who work with cattle and not just those working with birds may need to take precautions.
The good news is that its not a new strain of the virus, Cohen added. This is known to us and weve been studying it, and frankly, weve been preparing for avian flu for 20 years.
Some flu viruses mainly affect people, but others chiefly occur in animals. Avian viruses spread naturally in wild aquatic birds like ducks and geese, and then to chickens and other domesticated poultry.
The bird flu virus drawing attention today Type A H5N1 was first identified in 1959. Like other viruses, it has evolved over time, spawning newer versions of itself.
Since 2020, the virus has been spreading among more animal species including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even seals and porpoises in scores of countries.
In the U.S., this version of the bird flu has been detected in wild birds in every state, as well as commercial poultry operations and backyard flocks. Nationwide, tens of millions of chickens have died from the virus or been killed to stop outbreaks from spreading.
Last week, U.S. officials said it had been found in livestock. As of Tuesday, it had been discovered in dairy herds in five states Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico and Texas according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This bird flu was first identified as a threat to people during a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong. In the past two decades, nearly 900 people have been diagnosed globally with bird flu and more than 460 people have died, according to the World Health Organization.
There have been only two cases in the U.S., and neither were fatal.
In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program caught it while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.
This week, Texas health officials announced that a person who had been in contact with cows had been diagnosed with bird flu. Their only reported symptom was eye redness.
Symptoms are similar to that of other flus, including cough, body aches and fever. Some people dont have noticeable symptoms, but others develop severe, life-threatening pneumonia.
The vast majority of infected people have gotten it directly from birds, but scientists are on guard for any sign of spread among people.
There have been a few instances when that apparently happened most recently in 2007 in Asia. In each cluster, it spread within families from a sick person in the home.
U.S. health officials have stressed that the current public health risk is low and that there is no sign that bird flu is spreading person to person.
While its too early to quantify the potential economic impact of a bird flu outbreak, many of these latest developments are concerning, particularly the transmission of the virus from one species to another, said Daren Detwiler, a food safety and policy expert at Northeastern University.
We dont have a magic forcefield, an invisible shield that protects land and water runoff from impacting other species, Detwiler said. There is a concern in terms of how this might impact other markets, the egg market, the beef market.
If the outbreak is not quickly contained, consumers could ultimately see higher prices, and if it continues to spread, some industries could experience reputational strain, possibly affecting the export industry, Detwiler added.
The egg industry already is experiencing some tightening of supply following detections of bird flu late in 2023 and in early January, coupled with the busy Easter season, where Americans typically consume an average of 3 billion eggs, said Marc Dresner, a spokesperson for the American Egg Board.
Still, even with the outbreak in Texas and the nearly 2 million birds that were killed there, Dresner said there are an estimated 310 million egg laying hens in the U.S. and wholesale egg prices are down about 25% from a February peak.
Associated Press reporters Jonathan Poet in Philadelphia and Mike Stobbe and videojournalist Sharon Johnson in Atlanta contributed to this report.
See the rest here:
What to know about the latest bird flu outbreak in the US - The Associated Press
- 4in1 flu vaccination can help protect from Swine Flu (H1N1) and three other flu strains - Times of India [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Two years on from our 'immune holiday', it's party time for germs. Here's why - Stuff [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Scientists hedging bets with mixed COVID vaccine for original strain and Omicron variants - Sky News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- People aged 65 and over in Lothian to get winter booster jab as Scotlands winter vaccination programme gets under way - Edinburgh News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- The U.K. Releases 55 Million Game Birds Every Year. This Group Says Not to Release Any Amid Avian Flu Fears - Outdoor Life [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Opinion | When Will the Pandemic End? And Other Pressing Questions, Answered - The New York Times [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- UArizona prepares for start of classes with resources on COVID, flu and monkeypox - University of Arizona News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Thailand To Start Treating Covid Like The Flu From October - Travel Off Path [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Moderna plans single, annual shot for COVID, flu and other respiratory virus - WRAL News [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Got Flu? Heres How Long Youll Be Contagious - Health Essentials [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Extending dogs' lives, and sex and the immune system - MIT Technology Review [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- A fowl virus: What the bird flu means for PA agriculture and how to fight it - cityandstatepa.com [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- When is the Best Time to Get a Flu Shot This Year? - Healthline [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Scientists Have Re-Created The Deadly 1918 Flu Virus. Why? - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Xofluza Approved to Treat and Prevent Flu in Children 5 to 12 Years Old - Everyday Health [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- Colds and the flu ruin our winters. COVID isnt nearly as pickybut this could be changing - Fortune [Last Updated On: August 15th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2022]
- COVID-19 still a factor in almost 11K deaths in N.Y. this year - Times Union [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Higher risk of vein blood clots in COVID vs flu patients - CIDRAP [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Experts debunk monkeypox myths as misinformation spreads - The 19th* [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Pets Corner forced to shut to limit bird flu spread after virus detected in two of the city's parks - Leicestershire Live [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Leicester peregrine falcon that lived at Leicester Cathedral dies amid bird flu outbreak - Leicestershire Live [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Poorest at risk of flu if they cant afford to heat homes, minister admits - The Independent [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Theres good news in the crowded field of Omicron subvariants: Bad Ned is (nearly) deadbut Aeterna and Centaurus are on the rise - Fortune [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Portland will test wastewater for monkeypox and other viruses - Press Herald [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Experts warn of spike in Swine flu cases in Delhi: Know what it is & why you should be concerned - Economic Times [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- It's going to be a complicated fall for Covid and flu vaccinations - STAT - STAT [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- When COVID-19 or flu viruses kill, they often have an accomplice bacterial infections - The Conversation [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2022]
- Why is swine flu surging in Maharashtra? What are the symptoms? - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- 3 cases of avian flu now suspected in Nunavut - CBC.ca [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Avian flu vaccination becoming less of a taboo topic - WATTAgNet Industry News & Trends [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Monkeypox transmission, vaccines and treatment | HealthFocus SA | University Health - University Health System [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Getting a Grip on Influenza: The Pursuit of a Universal Vaccine (Part 2) - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Summer colds: this may explain why so many have suffered them this year - The Conversation [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- What is tomato flu? Very contagious virus detected in kids, docs warn - New York Post [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Flu Viral: Here Are The Most Common Queries Answered - NDTV [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2022]
- Heres why you caught that summer cold, again - ThePrint [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Getting a Grip on Influenza: The Pursuit of a Universal Vaccine (Part 3) - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- What is the tomato flu? Scientists monitoring outbreak in India - FOX 35 Orlando [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- What to know about the tomato flu virus doctors are tracking in India - KRQE News 13 [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Flu and COVID-19 do not belong to the same virus family - Rappler [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- 'Tomato Flu': Everything you need to know about the virus [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Influenza - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2022]
- Fauci warns of bad flu season brewing as he nears office exit - The Peninsula [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Why is swine flu seeing a resurgence in India this year? - Scroll.in [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- What to know about the tomato flu virus doctors are tracking in India - WATE 6 On Your Side [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Omicron boosters targeting the BA.4, BA.5 subvariants are coming to Colorado. Here's what you need to know. - Denver 7 Colorado News [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Will the Flu Arrive by October 2022? - Precision Vaccinations [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Synthetic DNA nasal spray could stop COVID, flu, and other viruses - Freethink [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- Detection of a novel bird flu virus with pandemic potential - News-Medical.Net [Last Updated On: September 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 3rd, 2022]
- 'Tomato flu' outbreak in India here's what it really is - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Covid-19: What NZ flu data is revealing about coronavirus - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Flu and Covid jab programme starts ahead of 'winter wave of respiratory virus' - HeraldScotland [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- Flu & COVID-19 vaccines recommended amidst concerning seasonal trends - AustinTexas.gov [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2022]
- After a challenging winter with the flu and Covid, coughs and colds are due to 'take a holiday' - Stuff [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Global Influenza Vaccines Market Analysis/Forecast 2022-2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Analysis by Vaccine Type, Virus Type, Technology, and Route of... [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Chewing to curb COVID | Penn Today - Penn Today [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Seriously, Flu Could Be Bad This Year - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- New bird flu wave in France raises fears deadly virus here to stay - Reuters [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2022]
- Novid: Freaks or flu-proof? - Times of India [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Hantavirus: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Turkey prices are surging ahead of Thanksgiving due to disease - CBS News [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Swine flu: Warning signs and symptoms, treatments, key precautions to avoid H1N1 - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Bird Flu Has Arrived in the U.S. Earlier Than Expected - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2022]
- Avian influenza in major production hub in the Netherlands - Poultry World [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- The great RTO/WFH war means COVID is really over this fall - Fortune [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- 'It looked like a triage in there': Riders ravaged by stomach flu in Banjo Bowl blowout - 3downnation.com [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- Is it a Cold or the Flu? - Onmanorama [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2022]
- Reconfiguring COVID and influenza vaccines for long-term effectiveness - - pharmaphorum [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Flu shot, COVID boosters, TPOXX treatments and more with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH - American Medical Association [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Record flu surge predicted this winter as health experts urge people to get their shots - Cambridgeshire Live [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Bite-Size Science: A pandemic of the animal kingdom? Bird flu outbreak spreads to marine mammal populations - Tufts Daily [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Explainer: Everything you need to know about Swine flu - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Updated Boosters Are Optimized to Better Protect Against Newer COVID-19 Variants - University of Utah Health Care [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Ducks offer clues to avian influenza risk - MPR News [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Flu season is here: Symptoms, shots and side effects - Nebraska Medicine [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- Why COVID Is Still Worse Than Flu - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2022]
- How to get a booster shot at Yale and in New Haven - Yale Daily News [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Campylobacter Gastroenteritis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention - Healthline [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Junior Museum and Zoo removes birds from view amid avian flu outbreak - Mountain View Voice [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]
- Dutch trials begin on bird flu vaccination in first year-round outbreak - DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2022]