A positive case of bird flu (HPAI) has been confirmed in a non-commercial, backyard (non-poultry) flock located in Henry County. The flock consists of approximately 45 birds of mixed species.
This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in Georgia since January, the second detection in a backyard flock this year, and the fourth overall detection in the state this year. No affected bird have entered the food chain and the risk of human infection remains very low.
“Backyard flocks that frequently interact with native wildlife, particularly waterfowl & vultures, have a higher risk of contracting Avian Influenza, and we’re continuing to ask flock owners to closely monitor the health of their birds and immediately report any suspected illness,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
As the top poultry producer in America, Georgia remains a model for the nation in HPAI prevention, detection, and mitigation, Harper said. Since it began in 2022, the ongoing, nationwide outbreak has affected more than 174.8 million birds across the country according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Only 205,000 of those 174,890,000 birds have been in Georgia, some in our corner of the state.
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Transmission in the Henry County case most likely occurred through interaction with wild birds or environmental exposure to virus shed by infected wild birds, state officials said. There are no commercial poultry or dairy cattle operations within a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) radius of the affected premises.