The United States has confirmed its first outbreak of the highly pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza on a commercial poultry farm since 2017. This development comes at a time when the country is already dealing with another strain of bird flu, which has affected both humans and livestock, contributing to a significant rise in egg prices.
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has led to severe losses in poultry populations across the globe, causing disruptions in food supply chains and contributing to increasing food costs. In recent years, the H5N1 strain has been the most devastating to poultry, leading to widespread culling and even a fatal human case in the United States. The spread of avian flu beyond birds, including its detection in U.S. dairy cattle, has raised concerns about the potential for a future pandemic.
The H7N9 virus, first identified in China in 2013, has been particularly lethal in human cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus has resulted in 616 fatalities out of 1,568 documented infections worldwide, representing a 39% mortality rate. Despite this high fatality rate, WHO has noted that both the H5N1 and H7N9 strains do not appear to transmit easily between humans.
The most recent outbreak in the United States was identified at a poultry farm in Noxubee County, Mississippi, where approximately 47,654 commercial broiler breeder chickens were affected. U.S. authorities confirmed the outbreak on March 13, as reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), based in Paris. Officials from Mississippi’s agriculture and health departments have yet to issue statements regarding the outbreak.
Efforts to control bird flu in the United States have faced challenges in recent years. In the early period of the Trump administration, federal agencies scaled back coordination with state animal health officials and canceled scheduled briefings with Congress. However, some of these collaborative efforts have since been reinstated. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has committed $1 billion to combat the ongoing spread of avian influenza, reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
The continued spread of bird flu, coupled with its ability to infect mammalian species, remains a critical concern for health authorities. The detection of avian influenza in dairy cattle, for instance, underscores the evolving nature of the virus and the need for ongoing monitoring. While person-to-person transmission has not been observed in these cases, the potential risks associated with future mutations of the virus remain an area of scientific inquiry.
The economic impact of avian flu outbreaks has been substantial, particularly in the poultry industry. Supply shortages resulting from infected flocks have contributed to rising food prices, placing additional strain on consumers. The situation in the United States is part of a broader global challenge, as countries worldwide continue to deal with the effects of avian influenza on food production and trade.
