Turkeys run free in a barn area on Nov. 4 in Cheshire, United Kingdom. Photo: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
At least 50.54 million birds have died this year from the Avian flu, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Why it matters: This represents the highest amount of deaths of chickens, turkeys and other birds since 50.5 million died from an outbreak in 2015, according to Reuters.
Details: The bird flu can kill birds once they're infected, according to Reuters. After a bird tests positive, entire culls are killed to control the spread of the disease.
The big picture: The U.S. outbreak began in February of this year and has spread across 46 states so far, according to the USDA.
- The outbreak brought a turkey shortage to the United States for Thanksgiving, limiting the amount of 20-pound turkeys available, Axios' Kelly Tyko and Emily Peck write. However, snagging a turkey was still very possible for much of the country.
Of note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding unprotected contact with wild or domestic birds, especially if they look sick or if they're dead.
- Bird infections in people can happen after prolonged and unprotected exposure, the CDC says.
Go deeper:
Widespread bird flu lingers and drives up food prices
These counties have more turkeys than people
How Iowa turkeys went from near extinction to everywhere
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