Bird Flu Updates: U.S. egg prices reached a 45-year high (Feb 18, 2025)

Hi 👋

A quick PSA before you diving into today’s issue.

In case you haven’t seen it already - we added a Reddit Feed section on birdfluwatcher.com (thanks to reader’s suggestion 🥰 ). With this, you have a central place with most recent mentions of bird flu and not having to scroll through Reddit.

Let us know if you have more suggestions like this!

Latest Developments

• Wyoming reported its first human H5N1 case in an older woman who likely had contact with an infected flock at her home. [Source] 

• Wildlife is increasingly impacted, with a bald eagle in Illinois potentially succumbing to bird flu. Sandhill cranes are also dying in the region, signaling the virus's spread in wild bird populations. [Source]

Scientific Research & Developments

• A single dose of a broadly neutralizing antibody protected macaques from H5N1 infection in an experimental study, showing promise for new therapeutic approaches. [Source]

• The USDA granted a conditional license for a new avian influenza vaccine for chickens, providing a tool to protect poultry flocks amid the outbreak. [Source] [Source]

Public Health Updates

• The UK reported an H5N1 case in a poultry worker. [Source]

• The CDC urged doctors to speed up subtyping of flu patients to better track H5N1 infections and issued interim guidance for reducing workplace exposure. [Source] [Source]

• Over 100,000 new bird flu cases reported in poultry in Pennsylvania, signaling continued intense viral activity. [Source] [Source]

• Outbreaks in neighboring states prompt high alert in Karnataka, India. [Source]

Economic Impacts

• U.S. egg prices reached a 45-year high as the H5N1 outbreak devastated poultry supply chains. [Source]

• The virus spilled over into dairy cattle in Arizona and Nevada, with a new viral genotype showing signs of mammalian adaptation. [Source] 

• The unrelenting bird flu outbreak continues disrupting the poultry industry, with a legendary LA deli implementing an egg surcharge to offset soaring costs. [Source]

• Egg prices remain high across the U.S. due to supply constraints, leading some retailers to ration availability. [Source] 

Wildlife & Pet Safety

• Avian influenza detected in a wild duck in Wisconsin, indicating further geographic spread. [Source]

• UK authorities ordered all bird owners to keep their birds indoors to curb further spread of the virus in response to rising "wild" cases. [Source] 

• The virus is taking a rising toll on wild bird populations like bald eagles and sandhill cranes, disrupting ecosystems. [Source]

Looking Ahead

• Health officials warn the risk of the virus gaining mutations for human spread is increasing if the outbreak cannot be contained in bird populations. [Source]

• Experts warn the outbreak could worsen without stronger containment efforts from authorities. [Source]

Stay informed and stay safe ❤️ 

Jennifer