HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Agriculture announced a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected in a non-commercial backyard flock.
The backyard bird flock was in Henry County had 45 birds of mixed species, state officials said.
The detection of HPAI in the flock in Henry County is the first confirmed case since January and the second case detected in a backyard flock this year.
Agriculture officials said this is the fourth overall detection in Georgia for the year.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- Gov. Kemp sending 300 National Guard soldiers to D.C. for ‘crime emergency’
- Owner of burned Cobb restaurant shares dismay at loss of ‘second home’
- Braves minor league pitcher released after Walmart shoplifting arrest
“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,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper said in a statement.
The state said of the more than 174 million birds involved in the national HPAI outbreak, only 205,000 have been in Georgia.
“I am incredibly proud of our response effort. Our team deployed immediately to the affected premises worked swiftly to successfully contain the disease, prevent any further spread, and decontaminate the premises,” Harper added.
Officials said avian influenza does not put the food supply at risk and no affected animals have entered the food chain.
“The risk of human infection remains very low,” according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
