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The ongoing spread of avian influenza, or bird flu, in the U.S. has led to a national %Egg shortage and dramatic rise in prices.

Since entering the U.S. in 2022, bird flu, which is caused by the H5N1 virus, has infected or killed 136 million birds in the country, most of them egg laying hens.

Now, the outbreak appears to be accelerating with more than 30 million chickens — roughly 10% of the U.S. egg-laying population — having been killed in the last three months.

Scientists and veterinarians say it could take months if not years before the supply of egg-laying chickens in the U.S. returns to the normal level of around 318 million.

As a result, there has been sharp spike in egg prices throughout the U.S.

Grocery stores and restaurants are now paying around $7 U.S. for a dozen eggs, a record amount and up from just $2.25 U.S. in October of last year.

Retail data shows that American consumers are now paying 37% more for a dozen eggs than they did a year ago, if they can find eggs to buy.

Across the U.S., consumers are finding empty shelves or limits placed on the number of eggs that can be purchased due to the national shortage.

The United Egg Producers, a lobby group, is urging Congress to move quickly to form a national strategy to battle the bird flu outbreak that is devastating chicken farms nationwide.

Federal health officials have been closely watching the latest strain of bird flu that has also been found in cattle and spread to humans, resulting in at least one death.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to humans from bird flu remains low, the U.S. government has nevertheless given hundreds of millions of dollars to %Moderna (NASDAQ: $MRNA ) to develop a vaccine against the H5N1 virus that can be used in people.