Confirmed case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Henry County

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) — The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) confirms a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Henry County.

A non-commercial backyard flock made up of around 45 mixed-species birds were affected.
This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in Georgia since January 2025, marking the second detection in a backyard flock, and fourth overall detection in the state this year.

According to GDA, Avian Influenza does not pose a risk to the food supply, and the risk of human infection remains very low.

“Backyard flocks that frequently interact with native wildlife, particularly waterfowl & vultures, have a higher risk of contracting Avian Influenza, and we’re continuing to ask flock owners to closely monitor the health of their birds and immediately report any suspected illness,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “I am incredibly proud of our response effort. Our team deployed immediately to the affected premises worked swiftly to successfully contain the disease, prevent any further spread, and decontaminate the premises.” This quote comes from a GDA statement published Friday, September 5th.

State officials say the virus was most likely spread by wild birds. There are no commercial poultry or dairy farms within six miles of the infected flock.

According to the USDA, since the outbreak in 2022 HPAI has affected 175.03 million birds across the country. Approximately, 206,530 of the affected birds were in Georgia, despite it being the top poultry producer in the country. Officials say Georgia is a model for HPAI prevention, detection, and mitigation in the U.S.

GDA urges backyard flock owners to step up biosecurity measures to protect their birds from HPAI. You can report any sudden increase in illness or unexpected deaths to the Avian Influenza Hotline through this link or call 770-766-6850.