Bird flu found in California rats as USDA scrambles to rehire scientists

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed H5N1 bird flu in four black rats in Riverside County, California this week. The rats were discovered in late January near two recently affected poultry farms, marking the first detection in rats since 2021. Newsweek reached out to the USDA via email on Saturday for comment. Black rats, typically found in urban environments, represent a new transmission risk because they can spread the virus through...