Lancaster County Bird Flu Outbreak: 18,000 Ducks Infected as H5N1 Spreads Across US Farms

USDA confirms 18,000 new bird flu cases in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania ducks, marking the first positive detection since March 17, according to WGAL News 8. This outbreak in Spring Garden Township adds to ongoing U.S. challenges with highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. In the past month, H5N1 has advanced eastward, affecting roughly 10 million birds in poultry farms across Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maryland, and Michigan, reports dvm360. Nationwide, 2026 has seen 20.6 million birds impacted so far, down 11 percent from last year, with egg prices plunging 57 percent to $2.50 per dozen amid flock recovery, per Michigan Ag Today and the American Farm Bureau Federation. Experts note HPAI is entering a more contained phase, though seasonal risks persist. A UTMB professor urges vaccinating U.S. dairy cattle now against H5N1, which has hit over 1,000 herds in 19 states, costing $14 billion economically, as detailed in a Journal of Infectious Diseases commentary. This could curb virus circulation, protect workers, and shield poultry. CDC reports 71 human cases and two deaths since 2024, mostly from dairy or poultry exposure, with no sustained person-to-person spread. A new mutation may enhance mammal transmission via contact, per Earth.com research on ferrets. Oregon tallies 68 cases across 23 counties, hitting backyard flocks hardest. Globally, H9N2 bird flu claims Europe's first human case in Italy, says Science Alert, while China reports 261 swine-linked outbreaks early this year. Vigilance remains key as migratory birds carry risks. Thank you for tuning in. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta