GDA officials said they visited the area where the birds were kept on Thursday and culled the remaining flock, as well as cleaning and disinfecting the premises.
The agency said the virus was likely transmitted to the flock by wild birds. The flock was located in a residential area with an artificial lake frequented by waterfowl known to carry the virus.
there was 136 wild bird virus cases confirmed in Georgia The current outbreak began in 2022, and this is the third case of a backyard herd in the state. The previous incident occurred days before Thanksgiving in 2023, when a commercial duck farm southeast of Columbus was destroyed by the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention He said the risk to humans from H5N1 was low.But public health officials are concerned that the virus could turn into a pandemic.
GDA said the Georgia Department of Public Health is working with local health officials to test and monitor anyone who may have had direct contact with the infected birds. GDA personnel who visited the facility to cull the herd and clean the area will be kept under observation for 10 days, officials said. Testing for the virus is also underway to determine the exact strain responsible.
Although there have been no confirmed cases of H5N1 in cattle or humans in Georgia, worrying news about the virus continues to pour in from other states.
Early last week, a patient in Louisiana died from H5N1, becoming the first U.S. death from the virus. california too A state of emergency was recently declared. In response to the explosive outbreak of dairy cows. Meanwhile, scientists say there are signs that the virus may be changing in a way that makes it more transmissible to humans.
GDA officials urged flock owners to closely monitor their birds and report any increase in illness or death to the Bird Flu Hotline at 770-766-6850.
