Georgia, the top state for chicken production in the nation, has reported its first case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at a commercial poultry producer in Elbert County. The state Department of Agriculture made the announcement after detecting the virus at the location, which is approximately 100 miles northeast of Atlanta.
This marks the fourth instance of bird flu being detected in Georgia, with previous cases limited to backyard flocks. The recent case involved around 45,000 broiler breeders at the Elbert County site. The Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network confirmed the virus detection, which was later verified by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory.
In response to the outbreak, the Georgia Department of Agriculture has suspended all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales. State Agricultural Response Teams have been deployed to conduct depopulation, cleaning, disinfecting, and disposal operations at the affected site.
Commercial poultry operations within a 6.2-mile radius have been placed under quarantine and will undergo surveillance testing for at least two weeks. The Georgia Poultry Federation has assured consumers that existing testing processes ensure the safety of chicken products sold for consumption.
While human cases of bird flu are rare and primarily affect farmworkers, one fatality has been reported in Louisiana. The virus has been detected in 84 commercial and backyard flocks nationwide in the last month, impacting over 10.7 million birds. It has also been found in several dairy farms.
Efforts to contain the spread of bird flu remain a top priority for state and federal authorities, with a focus on safeguarding Georgia's poultry industry and the livelihoods of those involved in the sector.
