You know about Covid-19 and monkeypox, but there’s another serious illness in North America: the EA H5N1 strain of avian influenza. The current outbreak is the most dangerous one in 7 years, wreaking havoc on domestic and wild birds.
Effects of the H5N1 Bird Flu on Birds
The H5N1 strain has been found in upwards of 30 states in the US and in other countries as well. In the US, more than 37 million birds have died from it.
The virus is prevalent in aquatic birds, like gulls, geese, and ducks. Some bald eagles in Wisconsin, Washington, and Alaska have also gotten the bird flu.
Despite record numbers of birds dying from this outbreak, public attention is mostly focused on the economic effects. Egg are almost twice as expensive in the US and chicken and turkey prices have increased by 20–30% compared to the past year.
Is Bird Flu Dangerous to Humans?
The chances of a bird infecting a human with the bird flu are slim. According to the CDC, infections usually happen through direct contact with the bird or contaminated environments, like a poultry farm.
Human-to-human spread of the H5N1 strain is rare, but these cases can be severe or even fatal. Mortality rates are around 66% is some regions. The possible complications include organ failure, serious pneumonia, and encephalitis.
To avoid contracting the bird flu, cook poultry thoroughly before eating it and avoid close, unprotected contact with infected birds.
History of the Bird Flu
Avian influenza is not new. It’s believed that the 1918 Spanish Flu, which killed millions of people globally, came from a bird virus. More recently, in 1997, a new bird flu strain appeared in Hong Kong and spread to 50+ countries within a decade.
Birds are well known carriers of influenza. The virus evolves and mutates more quickly in birds than other animals.
How Industrial Poultry Farming Comes In
Chicken farms often confine large numbers of chickens in small, unsanitary cages. This leads to ideal conditions for spreading diseases like the bird flu.
Animal welfare advocates have pointed to common practices, including beak trimming and keeping chicken carcasses close to healthy living chickens.
Culling as a Government Response to the Bird Flu
To control outbreaks, governments rely on culling, where birds are selectively slaughtered. To date, millions of birds have met this fate by being suffocated. Many animal rights groups, activists, and health experts take issue with this inhumane method. They also argue culling does not stop or prevent outbreaks, since the chicken farms continue to be unclean and crowded.
Reforming Chicken Farms
Instead of killing sick birds, the solution to the outbreaks lies in changing industrial chicken farming practices. If the birds are kept in clean, less crowded spaces and are fed natural and healthy feed, they will be less likely to catch the bird flu and other illnesses.
Some better methods include free-range farming, raising chicken in backyards, or simply reducing demand for chicken by becoming vegan.
As the old adage goes, prevention is the best cure. This also applies to the H5N1 bird flu.
Reference:
Industrial Chicken Farms — Not Wild Birds — to Blame for Bird Flu Epidemic
