Bird flu flares up again in Michigan poultry

By Kimberly Dodd, Michigan State University After a relatively quiet fall, there’s been another spike in cases of bird flu in Michigan. When state officials announced on Dec. 16, 2024, that bird flu had been found in another poultry facility in Ottawa County, it was the first time the H5N1 virus had been detected in Michigan poultry in over six months. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed seven more outbreaks – in five commercial and two backyard flocks – in the state, the most recent in Oakland County. Meanwhile, on Jan. 6, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first human death from bird flu in the U.S., in Louisiana. Bird flu is a complex and evolving disease with significant impact to the poultry and dairy industries. Almost 11 million birds and more than 900 cattle herds have been affected nationwide. A significant number of wild animals – such as raccoon, skunks, foxes and bobcats – as well as marine mammals, has also died from the virus, as have domestic cats. Kimberly Dodd, dean of Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is an expert in outbreak response for emerging infectious diseases. Michigan was...