Axios Visuals Migratory birds are driving up avian flu cases across the country, reviving concerns about U.S. readiness to respond to outbreaks, especially during the government shutdown. Why it matters: The most immediate concern is how the spread of the disease in commercial poultry flocks could drive up food prices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published genetic data from avian flu virus samples after scientists criticized the government agency for not having more public information to help them assess the risk of the ongoing outbreak. STAT News, a health news ...

WASHINGTON – Amid a dramatic increase in egg prices stemming from the outbreak of bird flu, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Wednesday that he’s fighting a proposed cut to U.S. Department of Agriculture research funding. “Congress is looking to cut $500 ...

It was a quiet summer for bird flu: Egg prices fell a bit, fewer sick poultry flocks were culled on farms, and officials took a breath. “It was lovely,” said Shauna Voss, the assistant director of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. But it didn’t last.

The upswing in infections echoes a pattern from last year, when a slow increase in outbreaks in October and November led to an explosion of cases in the winter.

Since early 2022, bird flu has affected more than 180 million farmed birds and killed countless wild ones. But it has also infected dozens of new species, suggesting that it has changed significantly over time.

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The State of Illinois is now officially considered to be “unaffected” by the H5N1 strain of bird flu in dairy cattle, the Illinois Departments of Public Health and Agriculture announced on Friday. “Unaffected” is defined by the ...