The Latest
To date, more than 138.72 million reported birds have been affected by HPAI since February 2022, with cases found in all 50 states. Cases slowed down significantly for most of 2024, but have risen since the start of November.
Cases have continued to rise in the opening days of 2025. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has reported 124 new cases of Highly Pathological Avian Influenza (HPAI) over 32 different states in the past 30 days.
USDA, APHIS
What Producers Can Do
Anyone involved with poultry production, from the small backyard to the large commercial producer, should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds, the USDA said. The department has a list of tools producers can use to help with biosecurity measures.
APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials on joint incident responses. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system.
Signs of avian influenza include: birds dying without clinical signs; lack of energy; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, and hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. The USDA has a resource with images to help identify discoloration and other clinical signs.
If farmers have a bird they believe has passed away because of avian influenza, state officials encourage them to double-bag the bird and refrigerate to preserve it for testing.
Rising Worries About Human Cases
Human cases of HPAI have been reported since the outbreak began, and pathologists have expressed worries about its potential to mutate and spread rapidly among humans.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) still maintains that the public risk of HPAI is low. In a statement on its website on Dec. 23, the CDC said: “CDC considers the risk to the general public associated with the ongoing U.S. HPAI A(H5N1) outbreak has not changed and remains low. The detection of a severe human case with genetic changes in a clinical specimen underscores the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance in people and animals, containment of avian influenza A(H5) outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry, and prevention measures among people with exposure to infected animals or environments.”
On Jan. 6, a person in Louisiana infected with HPAI died. This was the first reported human death from bird flu since the outbreak began in 2022.
Cases in Last 30 Days
The states with affected counties since Jan. 1, 2025, are:
Arizona
- Pinal County — 316,600 commercial table egg layer birds
Arkansas
- Cleveland County — 106,900 commercial broiler production birds; 19,500 commercial broiler breeder birds
- Sharp County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
California
- Butte County — 44,700 commercial raised for upland game birds
- Madera County — 69,500 commercial duck meat birds
- Merced County — 87,000 commercial duck meat birds
- Riverside County — 208,200 commercial egg table pullets
- San Joaquin County — 22,200 commercial turkey meat birds
- Stanislaus County — 236,100 commercial broiler production birds; 75,200 commercial table egg layer birds
Connecticut
- New Haven County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
- New London County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
Delaware
- Kent County — 194,800 commercial broiler production birds; 125,000 commercial broiler production birds; 145,800 commercial broiler production birds
Florida
- Broward County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Hillsborough County — 280 live bird market birds
- Orange County — 1,300 live bird market birds
- Palm Beach County — 4 WOAH non-poultry birds
Georgia
- Clayton County — 10 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Elbert County — 45,500 commercial broiler breeder birds; 130,400 commercial broiler production birds
Idaho
- Canyon County — 180 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Owyhee County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
Illinois
- Cook County — 500 WOAH poultry birds
Indiana
- Adams County — 19,900 commercial turkey meat birds
- Allen County — 26,100 commercial table egg layer birds
- Jackson County — 2.63 million commercial table egg layer birds
- Jay County — 19,900 commercial turkey meat birds
- Shelby County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds
Iowa
- Clinton County — 40 WOAH non-poultry birds
- O’Brien County — 240,000 commercial egg layer hens
Kansas
- Phillips County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds
Maryland
- Caroline County — 228,300 commercial broiler production birds; 108,400 commercial broiler production birds
- Dorchester County — 152,000 commercial broiler production birds
- Queen Anne’s County — 146,900 commercial broiler production birds
Massachusetts
- Plymouth County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
Michigan
- Oakland County — 100 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Ottawa County — 47,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 55,200 commercial turkey meat birds
- Wayne County — 120 WOAH non-poultry birds
Minnesota
- Dakota County — 79,500 commercial turkey meat birds
- Olmsted County — 120 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Wadena County — 300,600 commercial turkey meat birds
Missouri
- Barry County — 34,000 commercial turkey meat birds
- Jasper County — 49,400 commercial turkey meat birds
- Lawrence County — 52,400 commercial turkey meat birds
- McDonald County — 650 primary broiler pedigree farm birds; 131,400 commercial broiler production birds; 11,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 18,300 commercial broiler breeder birds
- Newton County — 1.59 million commercial table egg layer birds; 23,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 21,300 commercial turkey meat birds; 1.18 million commercial table egg layer birds; 1.15 million commercial table egg layer birds; 19,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 14,300 commercial turkey meat birds
- Perry County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
Nebraska
- Kearney County — 90 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Nance County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds
New York
- Suffolk County — 101,000 commercial duck meat birds
- Ulster County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds
North Carolina
- Hyde County — 3.31 million commercial table egg layer birds
- Sampson County — 24,100 commercial turkey breeder hens; 1,500 commercial turkey breeder replacement hens
Ohio
- Darke County — 245,300 commercial table egg layer birds; 21,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 250,000 commercial table egg pullets; 103,200 commercial table egg layer birds; 15,800 commercial turkey meat birds; 5,300 commercial turkey meat birds; 9,900 commercial turkey meat birds; 22,300 commercial turkey meat birds; 349,200 commercial table egg pullet birds; 196,000 commercial table egg pullet birds; 103,200 commercial table egg layer birds; 11,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 150,700 commercial table egg layer birds; 9,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 1.42 million commercial table egg layer birds
- Greene County — 110 WOAH poultry birds
- Mercer County — 1.43 million commercial table egg layer birds; 10,400 commercial turkey meat birds; 4,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 9,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 19,600 commercial turkey meat birds; 18,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 5,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 1.47 million commercial table egg layer birds; 85,000 commercial table egg layer birds; 11,200 commercial turkey meat birds; 22,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 748,800 commercial table egg layers; 21,600 commercial turkey meat birds; 437,100 commercial table egg layer birds; 8,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 15,800 commercial turkey meat birds; 20,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 9,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 12,600 commercial duck meat birds; 14,400 commercial turkey meat birds; 12,600 commercial turkey meat birds
- Van Wert County — 21,400 commercial turkey meat birds
Oklahoma
- Adair County — 51,600 commercial broiler breeder birds; 40,000 WOAH poultry birds; 85,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 45,000 commercial turkey meat birds
Oregon
- Union County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds; 400 WOAH non-poultry birds
Pennsylvania
- Lehigh County — 47,900 WOAH poultry birds
- Monroe County — 30 WOAH non-poutry birds
Puerto Rico
Culebra County — 240 WOAH poultry birds
Rhode Island
- Washington County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds
South Dakota
- Gregory County — 90 WOAH non-poultry birds
- Hanson County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds
Tennessee
- Greene County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
Texas
- Brazoria County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds
Vermont
- Windsor County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds
Virginia
- Accomack County — 441,000 commercial broiler production birds
- Virginia Beach City — 210 WOAH non-poultry birds
Washington
- Franklin County — 307,800 commercial table egg layer birds
West Virginia
- Pocahontas County — 9 WOAH poultry birds