For the first time this year, a highly contagious variant of bird flu has been detected in a domestic flock in Georgia, the state’s Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.
The virus was found in a multi-species backyard flock in Toombs County between Macon and Savannah, Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said at a virtual press conference. State officials said the affected flock consisted of chickens, turkeys, ducks and peacocks, and that upwards of 350 animals had to be euthanized.
The virus — known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI — has previously been detected in wild birds in Georgia, including three dead bald eagles back in April. So far, 11 wild birds in Georgia have tested positive for the virus this year, mostly in coastal parts of the state.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says HPAI poses little risk to humans and infections are rare. One case was reported earlier this year in Colorado in a patient involved in culling birds suspected to be infected with the virus. Human infections have occurred in other countries, typically after long periods of unprotected contact with infected birds, the CDC says.
State officials stressed that so far, Georgia’s commercial poultry industry has not reported any cases connected to this outbreak. The last cases to affect Georgia’s chicken industry were in 2015.
Still, the virus could inflict enormous pain on the industry and the state economy if it manages to infect commercial flocks. Georgia is the country’s top producer of broiler chickens and its poultry industry is worth an estimated $28 billion, Black said. That’s nearly equivalent to the entire state budget that was approved by the General Assembly earlier this year.
To keep the virus from jumping to commercial birds, experts called on flock owners to be vigilant about reporting suspected cases and maintaining biosecurity protocols for those entering and exiting poultry farms.
“It’s very important to realize that several species of wildlife are carrying this virus and shedding it, which means that we have to assume that it’s in the environment and around the chicken houses,” said Louise Zavala executive director of the Georgia Poultry Laboratory.
Zavala also said that a round of surveillance testing has been conducted on all commercial poultry farms within a 10 kilometer radius of the affected flock. So far, that testing has not turned up any more positive results, but more testing is planned, Zavala said.
To prevent further spread, state officials also said they will leave in effect until further notice a suspension of poultry exhibitions, shows, and swaps that was issued by the state veterinarian’s office on Feb. 16.
“The message to the producers throughout the poultry industry and backyard flock owners is that there is no such thing as a day off when it comes to biosecurity,” Black said.
More on highly pathogenic avian influenza
Symptoms of HPAI in birds include lethargy, tremors and seizures. Officials say that sick birds should not be handled and all suspected infections should be reported to the state’s Avian Influenza Hotline at 770-766-6850.
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