Here We Go: Major Bird Flu Outbreak Shuts Down U.S. Largest Fresh Egg Producer, About 1.6 Million Chickens Culled at Texas Facility | The Gateway Pundit

Cal-Maine Meals, Inc., acknowledged because the nation’s largest producer of recent eggs, introduced on Tuesday that it has quickly suspended operations at considered one of its main amenities situated in Parmer County, Texas.

This drastic measure comes within the wake of a detected outbreak of extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The outbreak has led to the culling of roughly 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets.

This motion represents about 3.6% of Cal-Maine Meals’ complete flock as of early March 2024, marking a major loss for the corporate and the egg trade as an entire.

Cal-Maine launched the following statement:

Cal-Maine immediately reported that one of many Firm’s amenities situated in Parmer County, Texas, examined constructive for extremely pathogenic avian influenza (“HPAI”), leading to depopulation of roughly 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or roughly 3.6% of the Firm’s complete flock as of March 2, 2024.

Manufacturing on the facility has quickly ceased because the Firm follows the protocols prescribed by the USDA. Cal-Maine Meals is working to safe manufacturing from different amenities to reduce disruption to its prospects.

The Firm stays devoted to strong biosecurity applications throughout its places; nevertheless, no farm is immune from HPAI. HPAI remains to be current within the wild chicken inhabitants and the extent of potential future outbreaks, with heightened danger in the course of the migration seasons, can’t be predicted. In response to the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the human well being danger to the U.S. public from HPAI viruses is taken into account to be low. Additionally, based on the USDA, HPAI can’t be transmitted by way of safely dealt with and correctly cooked eggs. There is no such thing as a identified danger associated to HPAI related to eggs which can be at present out there and no eggs have been recalled.

The Firm continues to work intently with federal, state and native authorities officers and centered trade teams to mitigate the danger of future outbreaks and successfully handle the response.

The APHIS division of the USDA and particular person states observe and publicly report particular person incidents of HPAI by location. The Firm will present up to date data in its subsequent quarterly report back to be filed with the Securities and Change Fee and doesn’t count on to offer interim updates until materials.

WATCH:

The most important egg producer within the U.S. has shut down manufacturing and culled greater than 1.5 million chickens after a significant chicken flu outbreak at a Texas plant.

It comes because the extremely contagious virus has been present in not less than six states amongst dairy cows. https://t.co/DnPQtL0VX5 pic.twitter.com/xkGZi1MaC9

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 4, 2024

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that specialists have cautioned {that a} chicken flu pandemic could also be looming on the horizon, one which could possibly be catastrophic on a scale ‘100 instances worse than Covid-19.’

Throughout a latest briefing, scientists highlighted the growing danger of the H5N1 chicken flu pressure turning right into a pandemic.

The assembly, attended by main chicken flu researchers, medical professionals, and authorities officers, was convened in response to the human chicken flu case and arranged by John Fulton, a vaccine guide and pharmaceutical trade professional, based on Daily Mail.

“This seems to be 100 instances worse than Covid, or it could possibly be if it mutates and maintains its excessive case fatality charge,” stated Fulton. “As soon as it’s mutated to contaminate people, we will solely hope that the [fatality rate] drops.”

Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a notable determine in chicken flu analysis, warned of the virus’s potential for a pandemic, highlighting its world distribution and skill to contaminate quite a lot of mammals, together with people.

In response to the World Well being Group, the H5N1 fatality charge stands at an alarming 52 %, a stark distinction to the lower than 0.1 % mortality charge of Covid-19. The priority is that if H5N1 turns into simply transmitted amongst people whereas sustaining its excessive fatality charge, the results could possibly be dire.