An Ohio farm has slaughtered more than 1.3 million chickens in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu, according to first reports. Associated Press reports.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Tuesday that the herd was being slaughtered after a case of infection was discovered. Bird flu outbreak at an egg farm in Union County.
Although the epidemic is not as severe this year, 8.1 million birds have died on commercial poultry farms this year compared with 2022, including 5.8 million birds in Ohio this month.
It’s the second farm to kill more than 1 million birds this month, with an egg farm in Taylor County, Iowa, killing 1.1 million birds. A farm in Wright County, Minnesota, killed 940,000 birds this month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human cases of H5N1 infection remain rare, with only one report of a person being infected with the H5N1 strain in the United States since 2022.
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What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza is a disease caused by a family of influenza viruses that are spread primarily among birds.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, avian influenza viruses are divided into two categories:
- Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) (common in wild birds)
- Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (found primarily in poultry).
According to the CDC, LPAI viruses cause mild or no disease, while HPAI viruses cause severe illness and high mortality in infected birds.
Bird flu has cost the government an estimated $660 million and has recently caused egg and poultry prices to rise. At least 65 million birds have been culled since 2022 to limit the spread of the virus.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
Signs the bird may be injured. Avian influenza includes:
- Anorexia, lethargy
- Sudden death without previous symptoms
- Swollen eyelids
- head and neck sprain
- Purple discoloration in some parts of the body, including the shakes and legs.
- trip and fall
- diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Nasal gonorrhea