With the first human death from bird flu now logged in the US, health officials have their fingers crossed that it doesn't become a major public-health issue. But H5N1 is already wreaking havoc on poultry flocks and causing an egg shortage that's driving up the cost at the grocery store.

Bird flu is wreaking havoc on California farms and consequently raising the price of eggs. Prices also spiked because of the high demand during the holidays.

Some establishments search for better wholesale prices to shield customers from increases, while others have started raising menu prices on egg dishes to cope with the surge. The USDA's latest data paints a sobering picture: nine confirmed avian flu cases across Merced,