U.S. Faces New H7N9 Bird Flu Threat as Outbreak Hits Mississippi

The U.S. reports its first H7N9 bird flu outbreak since 2017, amid ongoing struggles with another strain affecting humans and boosting egg prices. This outbreak in Mississippi raises concerns about a potential new pandemic due to its high fatality rate and impact on supply chains.

The United States has reported its first H7N9 bird flu outbreak on a poultry farm since 2017. This development emerges as the country deals with another avian influenza strain, known for infecting humans and driving egg prices to unprecedented highs.

Avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, has severely impacted poultry populations worldwide, further straining supply chains and contributing to escalating food costs. The virus's potential transmission to mammals, including dairy cows in the U.S., has heightened fears of a new pandemic among global health officials.

The World Health Organization notes that while H5N1 has been the more prevalent strain, causing significant damage and a human fatality in the U.S., the H7N9 variant is more lethal, with a 40% mortality rate since its discovery in 2013. The most recent outbreak was identified in a commercial chicken flock in Noxubee, Mississippi. The USDA, alongside state health authorities, is conducting extensive epidemiological investigations and heightened monitoring in response.

(With inputs from agencies.)