Georgia's poultry industry faces its first case of bird flu at a commercial site since the 2022 outbreak. The Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at a poultry producer in Elbert County, leading to an immediate halt on all poultry exhibitions and sales. Previously, virus detections in Georgia were limited to backyard flocks. Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper emphasized the grave threat to the state's poultry industry and its economy, given its position as the top producer nationally.
Initial signs of illness were noted on Wednesday, with subsequent confirmations following on Thursday and Friday. The site, housing roughly 45,000 broiler breeders, is now undergoing operations for depopulation, cleaning, and disinfection by the state's Emergency Management. A quarantine radius of 6.2 miles surrounds the affected area, and commercial operations within it are undergoing a minimum two-week surveillance testing to contain the spread.
Georgia Poultry Federation President Mike Giles ensured ongoing collaboration with state and federal authorities, emphasizing rigorous testing to safeguard poultry products. The affected farm's identity remains undisclosed to prevent unauthorized access and potential harassment. Bird flu has had a worldwide impact over the past two years, affecting both wild and domestic avian species and even leading to a human fatality. Nationwide, recent data indicates the virus's presence in 84 flocks in the past month, affecting 10.7 million birds. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)