The newly reported H5N9 strain was found Monday at a duck farm in Merced County, California, according to the World Organization for Animal Health. The Paris-based organization that studies animal diseases said it's the first verified U.S. case of H5N9 in poultry. The organization said the more common strain H5N1 was also found.

By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- A new strain of bird flu, H5N9, has been detected for the first time in the United States, raising concerns about how it continues to spread.

First U.S. detection of virulent H5N9 strain, at a California duck farm, draws scrutiny as evidence of genetic reassortment that could trigger human outbreaks.

Bird flu outbreaks have contributed to rising egg prices soaring around at the country. The USDA estimates that infected flocks contribute to these rising egg prices, as the virus can reduce egg production and cause deformed shells.

Corwin was forced to lay off 48 workers but kept 20 to help with the clean up. He said the company was successful in salvaging many of the 10,000 eggs that he hopes could represent the future of Crescent, which has developed a unique genetic strain of duck over generations.

One of the top egg producers in the U.S. confirmed that a farm tested positive for cases of bird flu over the weekend, the company said in a statement Tuesday.