ELBERT COUNTY, Ga. — All poultry sales, exhibitions, shows, swaps, and meets have been suspended after the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed a commercial poultry operation had a case of bird flu.
This marks the first confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry operation and the fifth confirmed detection in the state of Georgia.
“For the first time since the ongoing, nationwide outbreak began in 2022, HPAI has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation in the state of Georgia,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “This is a serious threat to Georgia’s #1 industry and the livelihoods of thousands of Georgians who make their living in our state’s poultry industry. We are working around the clock to mitigate any further spread of the disease and ensure that normal poultry activities in Georgia can resume as quickly as possible.”
On Jan. 15, a producer noticed clinical signs of Avian Influenza in their flock, the Georgia Department of Agriculture said.
Officials add that the samples were collected on Thursday morning and taken to the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network for testing where it was later confirmed.
According to Georgia Department of Agriculture officials, “all commercial poultry operations within a 6.2 mile radius have been placed under quarantine and will undergo surveillance testing for a period of at least two weeks.”
Georgia Department of Agriculture officials say notifications will be issued when commercial poultry operations may resume in the state.
Officials with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams (SART) responded to conduct depopulation, cleaning and disinfecting, and disposal operations.