In the wake of avian flu cases spreading in poultry farms across the United States in recent weeks, experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said that there's a high probability this same problem could reoccur in the fall.
Around this time, birds will have to migrate to the south, and there is an underlying danger that the virus will spread to new regions, according to the agency, Reuters reported.
The statement comes a week after USDA's Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford said that the agency was not making any forecast.
Breeding grounds in the northern parts of America, as well as in Canada, are already suffering from the avian flu virus, or the H5N2 virus, and it is expected to last through the summer. At least 15 million birds have died, said the USDA, affecting poultry production and export. About 14 states have had the outbreak.
The report also notes that the virus has spawned H5N1 virus, with young birds being the most susceptible to infection.
Once migration begins, the agency's main concern is if and when the avian flu does return, poultry farms in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi in the south and southeast may get the biggest blow. These states are home to some of the top-producing chicken farms in the country.
The industry is already worried about more exposures reaching a wider scope. Some farms in the Midwest have, in fact, told authorities that they are not sure if their farms can survive even after the outbreak is contained.
The USDA has reportedly organized a team of biologists, veterinarians and scientists to draft a plan on how to track migratory birds carrying the highly pathogenic virus. This draft will be made public by June 1.
