Bird Flu In NJ: Record U.S. Outbreak Affects Flocks Around State

NEW JERSEY — Backyard chicken and other poultry flocks in New Jersey remain at risk in the 2022 bird flu outbreak that has killed over 52 million chickens and turkeys nationwide — making it the largest such outbreak in the United States.

More than 50 million birds were killed in what the agency described as the largest U.S. outbreak since 2015, according to the CDC.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak has affected 216 birds in four backyard flocks in New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The outbreak hasn't hit any of the state's commercial flocks, according to federal officials.

The outbreak has impacted far more birds in the neighboring states:

• Pennsylvania: 25 commercial flocks, 10 backyard flocks and 4,357,520 birds affected.
• New York: one commercial flocks, 10 backyard flocks and 9,792 birds affected.
• Delaware: three commercial flocks, two backyard flocks and 1,438,640 birds affected.

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.

Officials reported the following outbreaks in New Jersey:

• Bergen County: confirmed Nov. 2. Backyard producer (non-poultry), 60 birds affected.
• Ocean County: confirmed Oct. 22. Animal rescue/rehabilitation, 90 birds affected.
• Warren County: confirmed Oct. 13. Backyard producer (non-poultry), six birds affected.
• Monmouth County: confirmed May 17. Backyard producer, 60 birds affected.

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 CDC.

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.