A new flu outbreak has spread alarmingly across the United States. The deadly H7N9 bird flu, last seen in 2017, has re-emerged, with a mortality rate of 39%, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday (March 18).
The outbreak was first detected at a poultry farm at a time when the country is already battling the H5N1 bird flu, which has infected humans and caused egg prices to skyrocket. The newly emerged virus, also known as avian influenza, poses a significant threat to the global poultry industry, disrupting supply chains and driving up food prices.
The virus has also spread to livestock, including dairy cattle in the U.S., raising concerns among government authorities about a potential new pandemic. The H7N9 virus has proven to be highly dangerous to humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), since it was first detected in China in 2013, the virus has infected 1,568 people, leading to 616 deaths, a mortality rate of 39%. However, WHO has stated that the virus does not easily spread from human to human.
The Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health reported on Monday that the outbreak was detected in a poultry farm in Noxubee County, Mississippi, which housed 47,654 commercial broiler chickens. U.S. authorities confirmed the outbreak on March 13. However, Mississippi’s agriculture and health departments have yet to comment on the situation.
According to Reuters, during the early years of the Trump administration, the U.S. government’s response to bird flu was hindered as federal agencies canceled congressional briefings and meetings with state animal health officials. However, some coordination efforts were later resumed, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a $1 billion plan to combat the virus’s spread.
The outbreak has raised fresh global concerns, especially regarding the virus’s continuous mutations and its spread to mammals. Experts warn that without close monitoring and rapid preventive measures, this virus could lead to a major health crisis.