US Avian Flu Outbreak Worst on Record With 50 Million Dead Birds
- Avian influenza contributed to 50.54 million birds killed
- Highly pathogenic virus prompted turkey, egg prices to soar
The virus has mostly impacted turkey and egg operations, sending prices to all-time highs and contributing to soaring food inflation.
Photographer: David Ryder/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The American outbreak of avian influenza is officially the worst on record with 50.54 million dead birds, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
The highly pathogenic virus was found at a commercial turkey farm in South Dakota this week, resulting in tens of thousands of birds being killed to avoid further spread. That pushed the 2022 total depopulation figures above 2015 when 50.5 million birds were killed, USDA data shows.