Data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday showed that bird flu has led to the culling of 50.54 million birds in the United States this year, the worst bird flu outbreak in US history and breaking the record of 50.5 million birds culled during the 2015 outbreak, Zitong Financial APP learned.
It is understood that birds usually die after being infected with bird flu. After one chicken tests positive, the entire flock is also culled to control the spread of the disease. In laying hens, the number of the whole flock can exceed 1 million.
The mass deaths of poultry have pushed the prices of eggs and turkey to record highs, adding to the economic pain of consumers facing high inflation and making Thursday's Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States more expensive.
Europe has also suffered its worst bird flu crisis in history, with the European Union's Food Safety Agency saying nearly 50 million poultry have been culled in the region. After the bird flu outbreak disrupted supply, some British supermarkets rationed eggs purchased by customers.
The bird flu outbreak, which began in February, has infected flocks of poultry and non-poultry in 46 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wild birds such as ducks spread the virus known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) through feces, feathers or direct contact with poultry.
"Wild birds continue to spread HPAI across the country during migration, so preventing contact between poultry and wild birds is critical to protecting American poultry," said Rosemary Sifford, chief veterinary officer of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to the USDA, about 30% of bird flu cases in 2015 were directly related to wild birds, compared with 85% this year.
U. S. government officials are studying the infection in turkey farms, hoping to come up with new recommendations to prevent infection. According to the USDA, turkey farms account for more than 70% of commercial poultry farms infected by the outbreak.
Although the bird flu outbreak poses a low risk to the public, people should avoid contact with birds that appear to be sick or dead and have not taken protective measures, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.