Avian flu confirmed in Georgia, Connecticut wild birds

With new detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Georgia and Connecticut, the virus has now been confirmed in 11 states in 2022.

Roy Graber Headshot
Doctor using red pen draw circle on avian influenza
Doctor using red pen draw circle on avian influenza
mashi_naz | Bigstock

The presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in two new states, including the nation’s largest poultry-producing state.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website, new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been discovered in Georgia and Connecticut. Additional cases have also emerged this week in North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware and New Hampshire.

All of the new cases involve a Eurasian H5 lineage of the virus.

New states affected

In Georgia, which according to the USDA is the nation’s largest poultry producer, there have been two confirmed cases in hunter-harvested birds. One was a gadwall and the other was an American widgeon. Both cases were confirmed in Hart County.

In Connecticut, there were 21 confirmed cases, all of which were in mallards. All but one of those cases were in Middlesex County, while the other was in New London County.

New cases in states with previous detections

The most recent case in Virginia was found in a hunter-harvested gadwall, with Virginia Beach listed as the location. Three other cases were previously reported in the state.

Twenty-nine new cases of HPAI were detected in mallards in New Hampshire, all of which were in Rockingham County. This brings the state’s total case count to 49.

Delaware has five new cases, all in Kent County. The cases involved hunter harvested birds: three northern shovelers, one American black duck and one gadwall.

North Carolina remains the state with the most cases in wild birds, with 50 being reported within the past week in a variety of duck species. Counties where the virus was detected include Pamlico, Hyde, Currituck, Craven, Beaufort and Bladen.

With these latest detections, HPAI has been confirmed in 11 states in 2022. Those states are Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Delaware, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. The only two states to have confirmed cases in commercial poultry are Indiana, with two turkey flocks affected, and Kentucky, with one broiler flock affected.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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