Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry

FILE PHOTO: A person holds a test tube labelled "Bird Flu" next to eggs, in this picture illustration, January 14, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Avian flu has reached new corners of the globe and become endemic for the first time in some wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry, according to veterinarians and disease experts, who warn it is now a year-round problem.

Reuters spoke to more than 20 experts and farmers on four continents who said the prevalence of the virus in the wild signals that record outbreaks will not abate soon on poultry farms, ramping up threats to the world's food supply. They warned that farmers must view the disease as a serious risk all year, instead of focusing prevention efforts during spring migration seasons for wild birds.