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.

The average price of a dozen large eggs starkly increased in California in December to $8.97, up from $5.68 in late November, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report.

Concerns surrounding avian influenza, better known as Bird Flu, are at the center of a sharp spike in egg prices in California.

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,