H5N1 virus
What is the current impact of the H5N1 virus on human health in the United States?
Since the start of 2024, 69 human cases of H5N1 have been recorded in America, including the death of a 65-year-old Louisiana man who contracted the virus after exposure to infected animals. The virus has expanded beyond birds, with dairy cows in Nevada testing positive for a strain that causes severe illness in humans. Domesticated cats have also tested positive, raising significant concerns about the virus's spread across species. These discoveries have sparked fears that H5N1 could mutate, further increasing the risk of a broader pandemic and making it even more dangerous for humans.
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WION
10:25 - 11:05
How has the bird flu epidemic affected the U.S. egg supply and what measures are being taken to address the shortage?
The bird flu epidemic has severely impacted America's poultry industry, leading to the culling of at least 158 million birds over three years to contain the H5N1 virus. The situation worsened in recent months with 18 million birds euthanized in December and another 23 million in January, causing empty grocery shelves and soaring prices nationwide. In response, the U.S. government has signed a preliminary deal to import 15,000 tons of eggs from Turkey by June to ease the shortage. Eggs, once a breakfast staple taken for granted in American households, have become a scarce commodity, forcing supermarkets to implement purchasing limits as the nation grapples with this unprecedented supply crisis.
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08:12 - 09:17