In early 2026, Pennsylvania has emerged as the national “epicenter” of a significant resurgence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Since the start of January 2026, the Commonwealth has seen a massive spike in cases, resulting in the loss of over 7.6 million birds across dozens of commercial and backyard flocks. Governor Josh Shapiro has officially shifted the state’s response into “crisis mode,” mobilizing hundreds of personnel and millions of dollars in emergency funding to protect Pennsylvania’s $7.1 billion poultry industry.
The Current Crisis in Numbers
As of late February 2026, the scale of the outbreak has surpassed nearly all other states in the nation. Pennsylvania alone accounts for more than half of all documented HPAI cases in the United States this year.
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Total Birds Affected: Over 7.6 million since January 1, 2026.
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Total Flocks Infected: 26 flocks confirmed in the first eight weeks of the year.
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Geographic Epicenter: Lancaster County, which is one of the most densely populated poultry regions in the country, has been hit hardest, accounting for more than 7.3 million of the affected birds.
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National Context: Nationwide, approximately 10 million birds have been affected across 42 commercial flocks in January and February 2026.
State and Federal Response
Governor Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding have launched an aggressive containment strategy. The administration has deployed a task force of 105 personnel, including 55 state veterinarians, 42 USDA employees, and members of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Civilian Support team.
One of Pennsylvania’s most significant tools is its HPAI Recovery Fund, the only one of its kind in the United States. Since 2022, the state has committed $75 million to this fund to help farmers stabilize after a cull. Currently, nearly $60 million remains in reserve to provide grants for biosecurity upgrades and lost revenue.
To date, the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) has processed a staggering number of tests to catch outbreaks early. Between July 2024 and June 2025, the system processed over 670,000 HPAI tests. In just the first two months of 2026, they have already tested an additional 80,000 birds.
Impact on Consumers
While the loss of 7.6 million birds is devastating to individual farmers, industry leaders are attempting to reassure consumers. Mark Sauder, CEO of Sauder’s Eggs, stated that the U.S. egg industry currently has enough supply to prevent a major price spike, provided the outbreak remains largely contained within Pennsylvania. Historically, price surges occur when major outbreaks happen simultaneously across multiple states, which has not yet occurred in this 2026 wave.
The Role of Wild Birds and Migration
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is also on high alert as spring migration begins. Wild waterfowl, such as snow geese and tundra swans, are natural carriers of the H5N1 virus. In Northampton County alone, officials removed roughly 5,000 dead snow geese in early 2025, and similar patterns are being monitored this year.
Due to the high viral load in the wild, the Game Commission has restricted public access to several areas, including the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, a major stopover for migrating birds.
Biosecurity Guidelines for Bird Owners
The Department of Agriculture urges all bird owners—from large commercial operations to those with a few backyard chickens—to practice “gold-standard” biosecurity:
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Restrict Access: Limit visitors to your property and keep a log of anyone who enters.
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Dedicated Clothing: Wear specific shoes and clothes when working with birds; do not wear them off-farm.
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Disinfection: Wash hands and scrub equipment/vehicle tires with a 10% bleach solution.
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Cover Flocks: Ensure domestic birds are under cover or behind netting to prevent contact with wild bird droppings.
Human Health Risk
The CDC maintains that the public health risk from H5N1 remains low. While the virus has jumped to humans in rare instances—mostly among farmworkers with close contact with infected animals—there is currently no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.