STAT January 14, 2026
The virus is expected to kill millions of animals this winter
Cheaper egg prices have muted public discussion on one of the most serious threats to American agriculture this century: bird flu. But the problem has not disappeared. In fact, the data suggest that the virus will bring devastating animal and economic losses this winter.
Since 2022, an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza has resulted in the loss of nearly 185 million birds raised for food. If these animals were people, it would be half the U.S. population. Most of the animals have not died from the flu; rather, they are housed near infected flocks and have been killed preemptively, in accordance with federal policy.
Predictably, after a...
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