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Boston's Morning Newsletter
What the unprecedented bird flu outbreak in Massachusetts means for you
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It’s Friday. Take a minute to read this NPR editor’s note on how the network will approach coverage of (and speculation around) the tragic midair plane collision in Washington, D.C. We have more below on how the Boston skating community has been rocked by the crash, which unfortunately is not the first plane crash tragedy for the famed club.
But first, the latest local news:
Wildlife officials say the current bird flu outbreak in Massachusetts is the largest the state has ever seen. Up to 1,000 bird deaths have been reported, mostly in the Boston and South Shore areas. But as officials warned this week, the virus is “widespread in Massachusetts and likely present even in places where there has not been a confirmed positive.” WBUR’s Amy Sokolow reports on what it all means for you.
- Why has the outbreak been so bad this year? The current strain of bird flu first arrived in North America in late 2021. But according to state ornithologist Andrew Vitz, the cold temperatures this winter may be a factor. “We’ve had mild winters up until now … and this is more of a traditional New England winter,” he said. “We have less open water out there. Birds are congregating in the areas where there is open water, and that’s likely facilitating the spread of the disease.”
- What should you do? Outside of rising egg prices and a few closed parks, most Bay Staters remain unaffected by the outbreak. Human infections remain very rare — and there have yet to be any reported in Massachusetts. That said, Vitz suggests taking precautions, especially if you have pets.
- “ We urge the public to strictly avoid any contact with wildlife, especially any sick or dead birds or other animals,” he said. “We also recommend that dogs and other pets should be leashed and kept away from wildlife. Cats are highly susceptible to the HPAI virus and should be kept indoors.”
- Officials also recommend against feeding pets (and humans) raw milk, raw poultry or raw pet food — though direct contact with an infected wild animal remains the biggest risk.
- If you come across any groups of five or more dead birds, report it to the state! There’s even an easy online reporting form.
- Go deeper: Can I still put out a bird feeder? Are any lessons from COVID being applied to the response? WBUR’s All Things Considered asked state epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown even more bird flu questions and got advice on preventative steps to take.
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2026 vision: Massachusetts state Sen. Peter Durant — a Republican who’s emerged as one the top critics of the state’s handling of the migrant shelter crisis — is mulling a run for governor. Durant told WBUR’s Simón Rios he’ll make a decision this spring.
- Get to know him: The Spencer resident flipped his largely rural Senate district in Worcester County from blue to red in 2023 after 12 years as a state representative. He’s a supporter of President Trump, and told Simón it would benefit the Democrat-heavy state to have a governor who “can be friendly to an administration that’s on their side of the ticket.” (Durant is also married to former state Rep. Kate Campanale, who ran for lieutenant governor in 2022.)
- Anyone else in the running? It’s still early, but Durant isn’t the only Republican considering a gubernatorial bid. Former Gov. Charlie Baker’s housing and economic development secretary Mike Kennealy and former MBTA general manager Brian Shortsleeve are both reportedly thinking about it.
Ibram X. Kendi is leaving Boston University for a faculty job at Howard University this summer. WBUR’s Emily Piper-Vallillo reports the best-selling author and scholar called the move to the prestigious, historically Black college “the most fulfilling choice” he has made.
- The move also means BU’s Center for Antiracist Research, which Kendi founded in 2020, will close at the end of June. The center’s 12 employees will be laid off when that time comes. The Emancipator, a digital magazine focused on stories of race and racism, will move to Howard University with Kendi.
P.S.— Massachusetts could join 19 other states that allow ___ under Gov. Maura Healey’s recent budget proposal. Do you know the answer? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of the stories we covered this week.
