Science

Bird flu outbreaks spread to Va., including deaths at zoo in Richmond

Seven Delmarva-region commercial operations have now reported cases of the highly contagious virus.

Seven commercial operations in the Delmarva region now have confirmed cases of the bird flu, including two reported last week in Queen Anne’s and Dorchester counties, according to Maryland agricultural officials and a regional group that’s tracking cases of the virus. Once H5N1 is detected in a commercial flock, the chickens are killed to stop the spread. The virus’s spread is particularly concerning for the poultry industry, which is an economic powerhouse in the Delmarva area, employing about 19,000 people and generating about $4.4 billion a year, according to the Delmarva Chicken Association.

There have been more than 67 confirmed human cases of bird flu since April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most of the human cases, except for the Louisiana man who died after coming into contact with dead and sick backyard flocks on his property, have involved patients with mild illnesses.

Since 2022, bird flu has affected about 136 million wild birds, commercial poultry and backyard flocks in all 50 states, according to the CDC.