Zoo keeps birds inside for safety amid avian flu

• Zoos across the country are taking similar precautions, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.

State of play: Earlier this month, three cases of the highly contagious and deadly flu strain were detected in two bald eagles and a herring gull in northwest Ohio, per a statement from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The big picture: No commercial or backyard flocks in Ohio have tested positive yet for the virus, USDA data shows. But concerns are growing nationwide that the fast-spreading disease could devastate the poultry industry.

What's next: There's no reopening date for the zoo's exhibits, as officials continue to "proactively monitor and evaluate the situation," Fields says.

• The virus does not pose a threat to humans, but the state advises against handling sick or dead birds.