FEVER PITCH

Millions of Animals Culled After Record Bird Flu Outbreaks This Summer

Health authorities say the number of cases of avian flu in 2022 is “unprecedented.”

Health authorities say rates of bird flu cases across Europe this summer have been “unprecedented,” leading to millions of animals being culled around the world. Some 47.5 million birds have been killed in culls since last fall, with poultry producers from the north of Norway to the south of Portugal clocking 2,500 outbreaks of avian flu since last year. Wild birds have also been affected by big outbreaks, the EU’s European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in its latest update. Although the arrival of summer and warm weather usually sees outbreaks of avian flu decline, this year’s high case numbers in Europe have persisted, sparking fears that variants of avian flu have become endemic in wild birds.