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The Georgia Department of Agriculture said it has confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) at a commercial poultry operation in Gordon County.
HPAI detected in Gordon County
Officials said the chicken producer noticed signs of illness on Wednesday and immediately reported it. Samples were collected Thursday and sent to a diagnostic lab, where results confirmed the presence of HPAI.
On Friday, the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams were deployed to the site to begin “depopulation, disposal, cleaning, and disinfection procedures.”
The affected operation housed approximately 140,000 broiler chickens. All commercial poultry operations within a 6.2-mile (10-kilometer) radius have been placed under quarantine and will undergo surveillance testing for at least two weeks.
“For the third time this year, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation here in Georgia,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “This poses a serious threat to Georgia’s #1 industry and to the thousands of Georgians whose livelihoods depend on poultry production. Our team is working around the clock to contain the spread and protect our flocks.”
This is the third confirmed case in a commercial operation and the fifth overall detection of avian influenza in Georgia this year. Since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022, more than 182 million birds have been affected across the U.S., including about 340,000 in Georgia.
What is HPAI?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is an extremely infectious and untreatable virus that causes high mortality rates among infected bird species. Infected birds can spread the virus through saliva, nasal secretions, and feces, with contaminated surfaces and water sources being common transmission routes.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) notes that avian influenza circulation in wild birds is normal, but cases surged nationwide in 2022 before returning to more typical levels by mid-2023.
Battling HPAI in backyard birds
For backyard bird owners and the public, the DNR recommends:
- Cleaning bird feeders and baths regularly.
- Avoiding bird baths or feeders near domestic poultry.
- Preventing contact between wild and domestic birds, especially waterfowl.
