Monitoring Desk
CHICAGO: Avian flu has reached more countries of the world and become endemic for the first time in wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry, according to disease experts and veterinarians, who warn it is now a year-round problem.
Experts and farmers said the prevalence of the virus in the wild signals that record outbreaks will not decrease soon on poultry farms, ramping up threats to the food supply of the world. They warned that farmers must consider the disease a serious risk around the year instead of focusing on prevention efforts during spring migration seasons for some wild birds.
Outbreaks of the virus have continued in South and North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, undefeated by summer heat or cold winter seasons since a strain arrived in the United States (US) in early 2022 that was genetically similar to cases in Asia and Europe.
Egg prices set records following the disease wiped out a large number of hens last year, putting a staple source of affordable protein out of reach to some of the poorest people at a time when the global economy is reeling from soaring inflation.
Birds primarily responsible for spreading Bird Flu virus
According to experts, wild birds are mainly responsible for spreading the virus. Waterfowl like ducks can transmit the disease without dying and introduce it to poultry through saliva, feces, and other means.
The US, Japan, Britain, and France are among the countries that have suffered record losses in poultry over the previous year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless.
Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere was previously considered most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Experts said that soaring levels of the virus in a broad range of waterfowl and other wild birds mean poultry now face high risks year-round.
