The Centers for Disease Control announced the first human death from H5N1 avian flu or “bird flu” in the United States on Jan. 6 – and the illness continues to spread.
In a Jan. 6 news release, the CDC said that there have been 66 confirmed cases of bird flu in the U.S. since 2024, and 67 since 2022. Outside of the U.S., more than 950 cases of H5N1 have been reported to the World Health Organization, “about half” of which have resulted in death.
In North Carolina, the most recent case of High Path Avian Influenza was reported in a Hyde County egg-laying operation on Jan. 8. The first human death reported was in Louisiana. So far, no human cases of H5N1 have been reported in N.C.
Here’s what to know about bird flu.
How many human deaths have been caused by bird flu?
On Jan. 15, the CDC said that 67 total cases of bird flu in humans had been reported in the U.S. since 2024. Only one death associated with bird flu has been reported so far.
How do you catch bird flu?
An NC Department of Labor webpage explains that infection with avian flu can occur by direct contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. Inhalation of infected poultry particles or ingestion of contaminated poultry are also thought to be routes of exposure.
The page adds that certain working groups are most susceptible to catching bird flu, including health care workers, first responders, public health employees, poultry workers, other animal handlers, laboratory workers and food handlers working with raw poultry.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
The CDC lists the following symptoms of bird flu in humans:
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Fever or feeling feverish/chills (may not always be present)
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Difficulty breathing/Shortness of breath
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Eye tearing, redness or irritation
Anyone with direct or close exposure to well-appearing, sick or dead birds, poultry or backyard flocks or any other animals known or suspected to be infected with bird flu or their contaminated environment should be monitored for illness for 10 days after their last exposure.
Which states have bird flu? Is there bird flu in NC?
On Jan. 8, the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services notified the public through a news release that a commercial layer operation in Hyde County tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza.
The disease was identified by the NCDACS Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh, then confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. This is the first case of high path avian influenza in commercial poultry in North Carolina since February 2024.
Including the Hyde County case, 20 total affected flocks have been recorded by the NCDACS since 2022.
On the 67 cases of bird flu in humans since 2024, none were reported in N.C. According to the CDC, states where human bird flu infections were reported:
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Why are eggs so expensive? Is the egg shortage caused by bird flu?
“The supply of laying hens is diminishing while demand for eggs remains the same,” Dallas-based economist analyst Amy Nixon told USA TODAY in a Jan. 9 article. “Unfortunately, cases of H5N1 have been increasing in recent weeks, which means supply will continue to be throttled and prices will rise more.”
The same article reported that egg prices have increased nationwide by about 38% in the past year, bringing the average cost of one dozen up to $3.65 in November versus $3.37 in October and $2.14 in November 2023.
Effects of bird flu outbreaks in some states have been harsher than others on prices. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service reported that the wholesale price for a carton of large eggs on the New York market rose to $6.06 a dozen. The Midwest region saw prices around $5.75 and California as high as $8.97 as of Jan. 3.
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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Bird flu symptoms, transmission: What to know about bird flu in NC
