The latest data shows that the United States has culled 50.54 million poultry this year, which is the most serious bird flu crisis in the history of the United States.
According to data released by the US Department of Agriculture on Thursday (24th), 50.54 million poultry have been culled in the United States this year, breaking the record of 50.5 million set in 2015.
Fewer poultry have sent egg and turkey prices to record highs, adding to economic pain for consumers and raising the cost of Thanksgiving celebrations.
Europe and the United Kingdom are also facing the worst bird flu crisis in history. After the epidemic hit the supply of eggs, some British supermarkets proposed restrictions on customers’ purchases.
According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, the current round of bird flu began in February this year and broke out in 46 states across the United States, infecting a large number of poultry and non-poultry. Wild birds transmit the virus through feces, feathers, and direct contact with poultry.
“Wild birds continue to transmit highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses across the country during migration, so preventing contact between domestic and wild birds is critical to protecting America’s poultry,” said Rosemary Sifford, USDA’s chief veterinary officer.
Wild birds were directly linked to about 30 percent of the 2015 bird flu outbreak, compared with 85 percent in this year’s outbreak, the Agriculture Department said.
Government officials are studying infections at turkey farms, hoping to come up with new recommendations to contain the outbreak. Turkey farms account for more than 70 percent of infected commercial poultry farms, the USDA said.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that although the risk to the public from bird flu outbreaks is low, people should avoid exposure to birds that appear to be sick without protection.