Pennsylvania Battles Surge in Avian Flu Cases

State officials ramp up response efforts as over 7 million birds infected in past month

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Pennsylvania is facing a significant surge in avian flu cases, with over 7 million birds infected in the past 30 days across 13 commercial flocks. State officials, led by Governor Josh Shapiro, are coordinating with federal agencies like the USDA to increase personnel, expand testing, and explore potential vaccine options to combat the highly contagious virus that has already affected over 195 million birds nationwide since 2022.

Why it matters

The avian flu outbreak poses a major threat to Pennsylvania's $7.1 billion poultry industry, which is a critical part of the state's agricultural economy. Containing the spread of the virus and minimizing further losses is crucial to protecting jobs, food supply, and the livelihoods of farmers and producers across the region.

The details

In the past month alone, roughly 7.4 million birds in 13 commercial flocks across Pennsylvania have been infected with the highly contagious avian flu virus. Since the outbreak began in 2022, a total of 14.6 million birds in the state have died from the virus, with about half of those cases occurring in the first two months of 2026. Governor Josh Shapiro is coordinating a multi-pronged response, including sending additional personnel and expanding testing capabilities to reduce the risk of further spread and deaths within the state's poultry industry.

  • The avian flu outbreak was first detected in a flock in February 2022.
  • In the past 30 days, over 7 million birds have been infected across 13 commercial flocks in Pennsylvania.
  • Since the outbreak's start in 2022, about 14.6 million birds in Pennsylvania have died from the virus, with roughly half of those cases occurring in the first two months of 2026.

The players

Josh Shapiro

The Governor of Pennsylvania who is leading the state's response efforts to the avian flu outbreak.

Brooke Rollins

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who recently met with Governor Shapiro at the White House to discuss the federal government's support for Pennsylvania's efforts to combat the virus.

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What they’re saying

“Whether it spreads from here somewhere else or from somewhere else here, that's why we take this so seriously. We've thrown everything we have at it, from resources to time. We're coordinating at a state, local and federal level. We want to do everything we can to kind of shorten the lifespan of this virus.”

— Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania (whyy.org)

“I think they also understand the importance of figuring out how to get a vaccine out there … perhaps as a pilot over the course of the next few months. There's a lot of complicating factors at the federal level, including trade, and I say this not to be critical in any way of our federal partners, but they've got to work through those issues. That's why it's not a tomorrow thing. It's something that, as the secretary said, [could] likely take months.”

— Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania (whyy.org)

What’s next

The USDA has committed to providing additional personnel and resources to assist Pennsylvania's efforts, and state officials are exploring the possibility of a pilot vaccine program in the coming months to help combat the virus.

The takeaway

The avian flu outbreak in Pennsylvania has reached a critical point, with over 7 million birds infected in the past month alone. State and federal officials are working together to ramp up response efforts, including increased testing, personnel, and potential vaccine development, in order to protect the state's vital poultry industry and prevent further devastating losses.