Georgia suspends poultry activities after bird flu confirmation

Georgia has suspended all poultry activities following the confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial operation located in Elbert County, marking the first case since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) reported that the positive case was detected after symptoms were observed in the flock, leading to immediate testing and confirmation by state and federal laboratories. As a precaution, all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales throughout the state have been halted, and commercial poultry operations within a 6-mile radius are under quarantine and will undergo surveillance for at least two weeks. Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper emphasized the serious threat this poses to Georgia's poultry industry, which is a significant sector for the state's economy. Emergency response teams have been deployed to manage the situation, including the depopulation and cleaning of the affected site. Officials are working diligently to mitigate further spread of the disease and hope to resume normal activities as soon as possible.