60 million birds affected. That is a large number of birds. The virus targets cells in their respiratory systems and also in their digestive tract. It started to spread within North America in late 2021 and early 2022. And since then we've seen this outbreak kind of accelerate.
Poultry farmers are in flock-down. The bird flu known as H5N1 is being called “the largest foreign animal disease outbreak in US history.” Vox’s Benji Jones and Johns Hopkins University researcher Tom Philpott say the virus underscores the poultry industry’s shortcomings.
This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Paul Robert Mounsey, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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