Health security

Worst bird flu outbreak in U.S. history devastating Midwest farms, Alabama officials worried

With a billion-chickens-a-year- industry to protect, Alabama officials are closely monitoring a deadly avian bird flu strain that has claimed 14 million chickens and turkeys in the upper Midwest since May 1 and shows no signs of slowing.

It was first detected in the U.S. in late 2014 and with 30 million birds already killed, it is the deadliest bird flu outbreak in U.S. history.