Bird flu is spreading again and appearing at egg producing farms. Could it lead to another rise in egg prices?

More than four million birds were affected at commercial egg-layer sites in Pennsylvania this week

Bird flu is once again ripping through commercial poultry farms, with federal and state officials scrambling to respond amid concerns about egg prices rising.

More than 7.1 million birds have been affected in Pennsylvania, the majority of which are at egg-laying sites in Lancaster County.

The state’s southern county has seen cases explode since the beginning of the month, and the Department of Agriculture reported just this week that more than four million birds had recently been affected at commercial table egg layers in Lancaster

Governor Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday that the state would deploy more personnel and expand testing capability in response.

The explosion in cases there, at other commercial sites in Colorado and states across the nation since January, has stoked fears about more impacts to egg prices, which have plummeted from an $8-per-carton peak since bird flu surged last year.

Bird flu is infecting millions of commercial egg-laying birds and dozens of wild birds in states around the country. The infections are sparking fears about egg prices rising again after a calm winter (AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, wholesale prices for trucklot quantities of graded and loose white Large shell eggs fell by $0.34 to $0.92 per dozen, the Agriculture Department said in a weekly update.

At major retailers, the price of large, conventional white caged eggs was $2 and cage-free cartons cost $3.43.

Over the winter, egg producers were largely spared from the virus and growers increased the number of eggs they produced last winter, Jada Thompson, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, told the Arkansas-based Stuttgart Daily Leader.

The lower prices Americans see right now are “the result of an oversupply,” she said. But that won’t last for long.

“Absent large-scale disruptions, overall supply could remain elevated for the next five to six months,” said Thompson. “However, given ongoing HPAI risk, we may see new cases emerge sooner, which could tighten supplies earlier than expected.”

The bird migration season is just beginning, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding told FOX 43.

“These numbers that we're seeing are very concerning because of both the immediate impacts but also knowing we're way early in the season for bird migration,” he said. “So, it's going to be a long, long spring.”

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he would deploy more personnel to address bird flu concerns for egg producers and expand the state’s testing capabilities (Getty Images)

Bird flu spreads to commercial flocks largely through contact with infected wild birds or indirectly from personnel, equipment or the environment.

Wild birds have also been dying in alarming numbers, with authorities urging the public to avoid the carcasses. There has been no evidence of person-to-person spread, but there were two deaths related to infections in Louisiana and Washington last year.

Dozens of swans died in Florida and more than 1,100 birds - largely Canada geese - were reported in New Jersey between Sunday and Monday, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

"I've removed about 18 out of my yard, and there's still more I'm having issues accessing," Hainesport resident John Cane told CBS News.

Officials said they believed bird flu was responsible.

"The avian influenza testing is ongoing, but we are highly suspicious that that is the cause of death for these animals," Dr. Patrick Connelly, a wildlife pathologist at the department, also told CBS News.