Nearly one-third of Ohio's egg-laying birds killed in bird flu outbreak
VERSAILLES, Ohio (WJW) — Nearly one-third of Ohio's egg-laying birds have been killed amid the state's bird flu outbreak, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has affected millions of commercial egg and meat birds in Ohio since 2022.
About 15.5 million birds have been destroyed since Dec. 24 due to illnesses detected in their flocks, Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge said Thursday. About 30% of the state's egg-laying birds have been killed amid the outbreak, he said.
Geese found dead at Wade Lagoon, believed to have bird flu: ODNR
Most of the affected birds were in Darke County, which is the center of egg production in Ohio, and whose farmers have faced 'tremendous losses,' Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday.
DeWine and Baldridge spoke Thursday afternoon on the outbreak at the Versailles Fire Department in Darke County. Watch that briefing in the player above.
'This is continuing to be an ongoing problem,' DeWine said. 'The federal government is going to have to become much more active in regard to research.
'One of the messages I heard today was 'Please do everything you can to speed that up.''
DeWine said he has a meeting with new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins set for Friday.
'I think, frankly, what we need is a real sense of urgency, and that will be my message when I talk to the secretary,' he said.
The department is now working to identify an HPAI vaccine, and figure out how to implement it, said Dr. Dennis Summers, ODA's state veterinarian.
Ohio has seen the most new cases of poultry affected by bird flu nationwide in the past 30 days, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The infection rate has been slowing, however, said Summers.
Since the outbreak began in 2022, more than 25 million birds have been affected in Ohio — from 75 commercial flocks and 14 backyard flocks — more than in California, but fewer than in Iowa.
That includes than 8 million egg-laying hens and turkey meat birds killed in Darke County just this year, according to the USDA.
Ohio exports eggs across the country, and also to Canada and Mexico, said Jim Chakeres, executive vice president of the Ohio Poultry Association. He said it's unclear when grocery shoppers could see relief from high prices.
'The challenge we have is it's all supply and demand. As we're decreasing and the demand has remained the same, it's very difficult for that to happen until we get back into production,' he said.
Farmers are now working to clean and disinfect their facilities so they can start back up. But even then, it can take several weeks before one batch of eggs can reach store shelves.
'The farms are prepared. They are resilient. They will survive. We know that everyone is affected by this and we will get beyond it,' Chakeres said.
Ohio reports first probable human case of bird flu
The first probable human case of bird flu was detected in mid-February in Mercer County. The person was a farm worker who had contact with infected birds that had died.
'While the risk to Ohioans is low, the best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead birds or to their environment,' Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff was quoted in a news release that month.
'People should avoid direct contact with poultry or wild birds and take proper precautions, including reaching out for guidance regarding personal protection and safe handling, if you must be around sick or dead birds.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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