The H5N1 avian influenza outbreak that has been devastating U.S. poultry flocks since 2022 continues in 2026, with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirming H5N1 HPAI detections in commercial poultry flocks across 12 states as of the latest update in June 2026. The affected flocks span laying hen operations, broiler chicken facilities, and turkey farms across the Midwest and South — regions that are critical to the egg and poultry supply for large Texas cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. Each new detection triggers mandatory depopulation of the affected flock, adding to a cumulative toll of more than 100 million birds killed since the current outbreak cycle began.

For Dallas–Fort Worth residents, the practical impact is already visible: egg prices at major retailers have been elevated since late 2024, and supply disruptions — though not shortages — have affected certain poultry products episodically. The USDA's Economic Research Service tracks the consumer price impact of avian influenza outbreaks and has documented that large-scale flock depopulations translate into retail egg price increases within 6 to 8 weeks of the outbreak events. With multiple new detections confirmed in June 2026, further price pressure on eggs and poultry products is likely heading into summer.

The Food Safety Picture: What Consumers and Restaurant Patrons Need to Know

The H5N1 avian influenza virus does not survive proper cooking. Eating properly cooked poultry and eggs — with internal temperatures reaching 165°F for poultry and firm-set yolks for eggs — eliminates any H5N1 risk to consumers. Pasteurized eggs and egg products are safe. There is no documented case of a human contracting H5N1 from properly cooked food. The CDC and USDA have consistently maintained that the food safety risk for consumers is very low, and that current H5N1 strains do not spread easily between humans.

However, certain raw or undercooked egg preparations carry additional caution under the current outbreak conditions. Restaurants and home cooks who use raw or undercooked eggs — in preparations such as hollandaise sauce, Caesar dressing, soft-poached eggs, or runny omelets — should be aware that any farm-fresh or uninspected egg from a local source should be treated with extra care until outbreak conditions in the supply chain stabilize. Commercial eggs from USDA-inspected facilities remain subject to normal safety standards, and the USDA's FSIS sampling program continues to test processing facilities for H5N1 detection.

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The Bigger Question: Is the Current Outbreak Control Strategy Working?

The U.S. poultry industry has been battling the current cycle of HPAI H5N1 for nearly four years with a primary control strategy of stamping out — mandatory depopulation of all birds in an affected facility and strict biosecurity protocols to prevent spread. This approach has prevented the widespread, endemic transmission seen in some other countries, but it has not eradicated the outbreak, which continues to find new flocks through wild bird contact, particularly during migratory bird movements in spring and fall.

The USDA and APHIS's ongoing HPAI response page provides weekly updated maps of affected operations. Backyard poultry keepers in the Dallas metro area — including small farms in Tarrant County and suburban homesteads across North Texas — should ensure they are enrolled in the USDA's voluntary monitoring program and report any sudden unexplained deaths in their flocks to the Texas Animal Health Commission immediately. Early reporting protects both the individual flock owner's neighbors and the broader commercial supply chain that feeds urban areas.