An outbreak of “avian flu” – an illness affecting birds – has swept the world. The disease has been spread by migrating birds. It moved from Asia to Europe, and has now spread to North America. The flu has led to the deaths of tens of millions of birds.
When you think of the flu, you probably think of an illness that affects humans, especially in the winter. But there are also versions of “influenza” or “flu” that affect birds.
Avian Flu and Humans
So far, the flu doesn’t seem to affect humans. Government experts have tracked people who were exposed to the virus, but none of them have tested positive. Still, experts are watching the situation closely to make sure that doesn’t change.
(Source: Cybercobra [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)
The last time there was an outbreak this serious was seven years ago. The 2015 bird flu caused the death of over 50 million birds in the US alone. Slowly, over time, that outbreak ended.
This version of the avian flu was first spotted in Saudi Arabia in February, 2020. All through 2020 and 2021, the disease continued to spread. Wild birds which caught the flu in one part of the world carried the disease to other parts of the world as they migrated.
The current bird flu appears to be at least as deadly as the 2015 flu, and seems to spread more easily. As one expert put it, “A lot more birds appear to be affected.”
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This version of the avian flu was first spotted in Saudi Arabia. Wild birds which caught the flu in one part of the world carried the disease to other parts of the world as they migrated. Above, migrating cranes in Israel, where the bird flu killed at least 2,000 cranes late last year.
In the US alone, over 40 different kinds of wild birds have been found to have the disease, and those birds are spread out over 30 different states. Among the wild birds hit the hardest are water birds like ducks and geese. Birds which eat other birds, like eagles, are also being heavily affected.
The virus can be spread in many ways – even by a sick bird pooping as it flies over areas where other birds are looking for food. The virus can also be spread on clothes, boots, or farm equipment.
Zoos across the US are now keeping their birds indoors to try to keep them from mixing with wild birds. Many zoos are also making special rules to make sure zoo workers don’t accidentally bring the virus in on their clothes.
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Avoiding bird flu is a real challenge on farms where large numbers of birds are raised. That’s because thousands of birds are kept close to each other, so if the disease gets started, it spreads incredibly quickly. Above, a duck farm in France where bird flu was found in January.
Avoiding bird flu is a real challenge on farms where large numbers of birds are raised for meat or eggs. That’s because thousands of birds are kept close to each other, so if the disease gets started, it spreads incredibly quickly.
To keep the flu from spreading, farms with a few infected birds often have to kill thousands of birds, even if they don’t all have the disease yet. In Europe, farmers have had to kill over 17 million birds to keep the flu from spreading. In the US, farmers have killed nearly 24 million birds since February.
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To keep the flu from spreading, farms with a few infected birds often have to kill thousands of birds, even if they don’t all have the disease yet. In the US, farmers have killed nearly 24 million birds since February. Above, scientists in Wisconsin test samples for avian flu.
The spread of avian flu is already causing prices for chicken and eggs to rise. In the UK, “free-range” eggs are no longer being sold, since chickens haven’t been allowed outdoors since November.
Many people are hoping that this avian flu outbreak will end on its own, the way the 2015 outbreak did. But experts aren’t sure that will happen. They point out that the virus has already lasted for a couple of years in Europe.