Mass Die-Off of Ducks in Chicago and Northern Suburbs

A recent report from local news outlet NBC5 has revealed that approximately 200-300 ducks have been found dead in Chicago and the northern suburbs surrounding Lake Michigan. The red-breasted mergansers are believed to have died from suspected bird flu, according to local experts who spoke with NBC5. However, tests have not yet confirmed this suspicion definitively.

Dead Birds Found at Local Beaches

Over the weekend, about 50 ducks were discovered at Chicago’s North Avenue Beach in Lincoln Park, while 50 more were found on Oak Street Beach. Additionally, at least the same number, "if not more," were found floating in the water at each beach. Smaller groups of dead birds have also been discovered in the area near Lake Michigan.

Health Officials Warn of Bird Flu Risks

Health officials have warned the public not to touch any dead birds suspected of having the bird flu, and to keep pets like dogs and cats far away from birds. In the United States, several cats have died from bird flu after consuming food containing raw chicken.

USDA Data Reveals Widespread Bird Flu Outbreak

According to data from the USDA’s website, at least 22.96 million birds have been confirmed to have contracted H5N1 bird flu in the US over the past 30 days alone. This includes 82 commercial flocks and 42 backyard flocks identified. However, these numbers do not account for wild birds found dead, such as the ones in Chicago.

Egg Prices Soar Due to Bird Flu

The recent outbreak of bird flu has led to a significant increase in egg prices, as entire flocks need to be killed when the disease is identified on farms.

Backyard Flocks Pose Public Health Risks

While backyard flocks are smaller in total number of birds than commercial flocks, they can still cause significant problems from a public health standpoint. In Louisiana, a person became the first human to die from bird flu during this current outbreak in early January, and was infected by backyard chickens.

Severe Strain of Bird Flu

The strain found in birds appears to be more severe when it infects humans, compared to the strain found in cows, which tends to cause milder symptoms when humans acquire the disease from that route of transmission.

Human Cases of Bird Flu

According to the CDC’s website, there have been 67 human cases of bird flu identified in this current outbreak. However, it is unclear if the H5N1 tracker is being updated.

CDC Disruption and Concerns

The CDC has been disrupted by President Donald Trump’s orders to purge government information that displeases the regime. A source at the CDC told Gizmodo that words like LGBT and transgender were being scrubbed entirely from the website. The CDC did not respond to an email from Gizmodo about the dead birds in Chicago.

Risk of Human-to-Human Spread and Pandemic

There is currently no sign of human-to-human spread of bird flu, but there is serious concern that such a mutation could start a pandemic. With Trump now in charge of the entire US government, and fringe conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the verge of being confirmed as the leader of Health and Human Services, a pandemic would be particularly devastating to the health of everyone.