On Oct. 30, 2024, the the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in a pig on a backyard farm in Crook County, Oregon, the first detection of the virus in swine in the country.

Pigs represent a particular concern for the spread of bird flu because they can become co-infected with bird and human viruses, which could swap genes to form a new, more dangerous virus that can more easily infect humans.

The Oregon farm has been quarantined, and other animals there, including sheep and goats, are under surveillance. Pigs and poultry on the farm were culled to prevent the spread of the virus and enable additional testing of the swine, USDA said. Tests are still pending for two of the pigs