Bird flu detected in commercial poultry flock in Georgia, officials say

Bird flu was detected in a commercial poultry flock in Georgia for the first time since the current outbreak started in 2022, officials announced on Friday. 

The positive case of the H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was found in Elbert County. It was confirmed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

This marks the fifth detection of the virus in a flock in the state, but the first one in a commercial poultry operation. Last week, GDA officials announced that the virus was found in a flock of 13 chickens and ducks in Clayton County.