The highly contagious avian flu has continued to wreak havoc upon tens of millions of poultry flocks around the country, causing egg prices to surge and supplies to dwindle, reports The Wall Street Journal. This is considered the worst outbreak in U.S. history.
The virus is transmitted via the feces, mucus, and saliva of birds. Despite mostly affecting birds, officials in Montana said that three grizzly bears had contracted the virus, likely after eating infected livestock.
The Midwest and Colorado are particularly affected by the pandemic. Within a month of entering South Dakota, the virus led to the death of over 1.3 million poultry in the state. In Colorado, over 90 percent of its egg-laying hens have become sick, and wild birds like snow geese, hawks, and eagles have been affected.
“One of the challenges is that we don’t know why it has been able to thrive for so long. We’re almost a full year into this outbreak and it is ongoing,” said Maggie Baldwin, Colorado’s state veterinarian.
Those working on the problem indicate that there is no way to stop the flu’s spread, and that it must simply run its course. The only way farmers and businesses have defended against the flu’s spread is by culling entire poultry flocks after detecting it.
Colorado farmers’ losses due to the epidemic are estimated to be in the millions, according to Bill Scebbi, executive director of the Colorado Egg Producers, which represents five family farms. He included that egg farmers aren’t insured against the virus.
“It’s been devastating to their businesses, to their farms and personally devastating to their livelihoods,” he said.
Across the country, there are six percent fewer egg-laying hens than average. Full Story (Subscription Required)
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