Bird flu is spreading fast. The virus is infecting chickens, ducks, turkeys and cows across the U.S. and Ohio is leading the nation in cases. Nearly 9 million birds have been affected, mainly in Western counties like Darke and Mercer.
Ohio is the second-largest producer of eggs in the country, so officials believe this outbreak will have devastating impacts on the poultry industry nationwide.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk about H5N1 virus that is continuing to adapt and has started infecting humans.
As of January, 67 people were infected by a strain of the virus called H5N1, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The first death occurred on Jan. 6.
While no human cases have been reported in the state, officials are working to contain the outbreak by euthanizing infected flocks and composting the carcasses.
For now, humans are at low risk for contracting the virus, but experts say this may change as cases continue to rise.
Later in the hour, we'll talk about an exciting opportunity for commercial astronauts in Northeast Ohio. They'll have the chance to study and experience extreme levels of gravity thanks to a new agreement between NASA Glenn's Research Center and Blue Abyss, a U.K. based commercial aeronautics company.
Blue Abyss plans to study human spaceflight, training and simulations of extreme environments- preparing for challenges in low-Earth orbit, on the moon and on Mars.
The company purchased 12 acres of land from the city of Brook Park to build its first American campus, which is still in the early stages. The project is estimated to cost upwards of $253 million when construction is completed.
Guests:
-Dr. Amy Edwards, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals
-Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, Dr. P.H., Director of the Pandemic Center, Professor of Epidemiology, Brown University
-Brian Baldridge, Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture
-Josh Freeh, Manager, Human Exploration and Space Operations Project Office, NASA Glenn Research Center
-Edward Orcutt, Mayor, City of Brook Park
-John Vickers, CEO, Blue Abyss
