TOOMBS COUNTY, Ga. — You can now add the “bird flu” to the list of highly communicable diseases circulating within the state of Georgia after the Department of Agriculture announced its first cases Thursday morning.
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Testing zeroed in on a hobbyist’s bird flock in Toombs County in Southeast Georgia, according to the GDA. The department did say that this case of avian influenza does not pose a risk to the food supply and none of the affected animals have entered the food chain.
Scientists said the risk of human infection from the flu is extremely low.
The flock owners told the GDA they noticed an increased rate of sick birds and deaths among those animals. The Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network and the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory took some samples from the birds on May 29 and confirmed the information from those samples.
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“Poultry is the top sector of our number one industry, agriculture and we are committed to protecting the livelihoods of the many farmers that are dependent on it,” said Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black. “In order to successfully do that, it is imperative that we continue our efforts of extensive biosecurity.”
A statewide order suspending poultry exhibitions and assembly of poultry was issued by the state veterinarian’s office on Feb. 16 and the GDA says the order remains in effect. The order prohibits all exhibitions, shows, sales, swaps and meets pertaining to poultry and feathered fowl in the state until further notice.
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For anyone who suspects their bird may have avian influenza (bird flu), the state has set up a hotline. You can call 770-766-6850 or go to the poultry lab website.
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