The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, pointed out that the shortage and increase in egg prices in the United States are the responsibility of the previous Joe Biden administration, due to the culling of 100 million chickens caused by an outbreak of avian flu. Leavitt mentioned during a press conference that this massive slaughter led to a lack of chicken supply and, as a consequence, an egg shortage crisis in the country.
The egg shortage crisis has led many supermarkets in the United States to have empty refrigerator shelves and impose restrictions on the number of eggs that can be purchased. The average price of a dozen eggs has reached record levels, surpassing $7, compared to $2 a year ago.
Since the beginning of 2022, more than 100 million egg-laying chickens have been culled due to the avian flu outbreak, which has resulted in one death and 67 infections in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A study from Harvard University has found that humans have antibodies that can recognize H5N1 avian influenza strains, a highly pathogenic virus that has caused one death and outbreaks in wild and domestic birds worldwide. Human antibodies detect this virus, which could serve as a first line of defense in the event of a pandemic, according to the authors of an article published in the journal Science Immunology.
