A farm in California where the new H5N9 strain was detected had to kill 119,000 birds after the more common H5N1 strain had been detected earlier.
In New York, a farm on Long Island culled 100,000 ducks after a bird flu outbreak.
“Whether this novel H5N9 virus will cause human infections from its avian host and become a pandemic subtype is not known yet,” the US National Library of Medicine said. “It is therefore imperative to assess the risk of emergence of this novel reassortant virus with potential transmissibility to public health.”
Meanwhile, consumers can't escape the ripple effects of bird flu with egg prices as high as $15 a carton being reported for what had been an affordable staple with an average price of $1.93 a carton at the end of 2023.
For now, the egg crisis shows no signs of easing. As the outbreak continues to ravage flocks, shoppers should prepare for ongoing price hikes and limited availability in the coming months.
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