Hunterdon County Health Officer Karen DeMarco on Thursday, March 6, provided an update on additional feline cases of H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) in New Jersey.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious virus that affects both wild and domestic birds, as well as some mammal species. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is closely monitoring cases of the virus, and the public is urged to report any sick or dead birds to the appropriate authorities.

The cats had no known exposure to infected poultry, livestock, raw milk, or raw meat, but they roamed freely outdoors, where they may have been exposed to wild birds or other animals.

Dozens of dead geese were found in a park in Mercer County. Egg prices have reached an all-time high. What’s the connection between the geese and your expensive morning omelet? Avian influenza.

The number of commercial flocks infected with avian influenza dropped in February, while infections in backyard flocks held steady. Fifty-nine farms were infected last month and accounted for most of the 12.7 million birds lost.

The H5N1 virus, which has devastated poultry farms across the U.S., is now keeping people away from several parks in Allentown, Monmouth County.

It is not unusual for cats to be infected with bird flu and develop severe illness. There have been no reports of transmission from cats to humans.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, better known as bird flu, has resulted in the deaths of millions of chickens – sending egg prices soaring – and

A Washington company has recalled pet food products amid the ongoing bird flu outbreaks. On March 1, Wild Coast Raw of Olympia, Washington, has recalled its frozen Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw pet food for cats, according to a March 1 announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As the medical community monitors the risk of avian influenza outbreaks to humans, health influencers are claiming that black seed oil -- an extract from a shrub that grows around the world -- can protect against and treat bird flu.