Bird Flu Affects 150 Birds In Illinois In Record U.S. Outbreak: USDA

ILLINOIS — Backyard chicken and other poultry flocks in Illinois continue to be at risk in the 2022 bird flu outbreak that has killed over 52 million chickens and turkeys nationwide — making it the worst such outbreak in the U.S. since 2015.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak has affected four backyard and 0 commercial flocks in Illinois, affecting a total of 150 birds in the state. The relatively low number of bird deaths in Illinois compares to more than 15 million birds dying from bird flu in Iowa.

The agency reports that the last case of bird flu was reported in Illinois in May.

Nationally, 275 commercial flocks and 371 backyard flocks have been affected. Turkey deaths at the beginning of the bird flu outbreak made the large turkeys costlier and harder to find for Thanksgiving. Large retailers that rolled back turkey prices to pre-pandemic levels softened the financial blow on the cost of Thanksgiving dinner.

In Illinois, avian flu outbreaks have been reported at:

• Boone County, Backyard producer (non-poultry) 20 birds
• Carroll County, Backyard producer (non-poultry) 40 birds
• Kane County, Backyard producer (non-poultry) 50 birds
• McLean County, Backyard producer (non-poultry) 40 birds

There is no risk to humans who eat eggs and chickens from infected flocks as long as they’re properly handled and thoroughly cooked, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cooking to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses, including bird flu viruses. The CDC has long advised against eggs cooked sunny side up or over-easy.

And while you should avoid eating meat or eggs from poultry infected with bird flu, the USDA says there’s little chance infected poultry products will enter the food chain.

The current outbreak of avian flu is traced to wild birds that showed no signs of illness but likely carried the disease to new areas during migration, according to the USDA.

In most past bird flu outbreaks the virus largely died off during the summer, but this year's version found a way to linger and started to make a resurgence this fall after being detected in commercial flocks.

So far, bird flu has been reported in 46 states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.