Highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to spread in Ohio, with five new commercial poultry flock infections there being reported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS also reported a new instance of HPAI in Arizona.

Hoosiers are encouraged to report drone activity near quarantine sites to local law enforcement. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security, along with local and federal officials, continue to monitor an increase in drone activity near sites where outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza have been

In related developments, West Virginia officials suspended poultry exhibitions and Massachusetts warned of sick and dead birds across several cities.

Cases of avian influenza in Indiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Delaware, California and Ohio involve broilers, layers, turkeys and ducks.

Summit Metro Parks has publicly advised against hand-feeding birds and has halted the sale of bird feed at the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm due to the rise of highly infectious H5 strain of avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu.

At the same time, high prices of poultry products and eggs in grocery stores - exacerbated by the impact of bird flu on flocks - are driving more shoppers to consider purchasing from local producers.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to occur throughout the United States with new detections every week. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Ohio has had 23 detections of HPAI in 15 counties.

"Many of these drones have been reported flying over farms identified by the Board of Animal Health, and some reports have surfaced of people shooting at the drones to bring them down," state officials said.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), along with federal and local officials, is investigating an increased drone presence in the state.

As the disease rapidly evolves, questions continue to rise: what is the bird flu? Why is this different? What can we do?

While HPAI has indeed reduced the supply of cage-free eggs, as many sources have reported, it has reduced the supply of all types of eggs and caused recent price spikes.