Bird flu is back. After a quiet summer, the virus has hit dozens of poultry flocks, resulting in the deaths of nearly 7 million farmed birds in the United States since the beginning of September. Among them: about 1.3 million turkeys, putting pressure on the nation’s turkey supply in the run-up to Thanksgiving.

Reports of infected wild birds have also surged this fall, and three states — Idaho, Nebraska and Texas — have identified outbreaks in dairy cows. The virus often flares up in the fall as wild birds begin migrating south; this year, the uptick is occurring during a government shutdown , as federal agencies that are typically involved in the response are working with skeletal staff.

Surveillance issues

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks human cases, a

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