WASHINGTON: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu, is spreading rapidly across poultry farms in the United States, with 1.32 million birds infected over the past month, according to the latest federal data.
The largest outbreak has been reported in Clinton County, Illinois, where 934,600 chickens were affected by the virus.
Significant outbreaks have also been reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
According to the US Department of Agriculture's tracking system, an outbreak at a turkey farm in Roseau County, Minnesota, affected 57,000 birds.
Meanwhile, 60,600 birds were affected at a farm in North Dakota, while another 41,400 birds were infected at a poultry farm in Wisconsin.
Previous bird flu outbreaks at egg-laying farms forced authorities to cull large numbers of infected birds, contributing to a significant increase in egg prices across the United States.
The virus has also raised concerns beyond the poultry industry, as infections among farm workers and people exposed to infected animals have previously resulted in reported human deaths.
