Georgia Detects First Bird Flu Case in Commercial Poultry Operation

The outbreak in Elbert County has prompted statewide restrictions on poultry activities to contain the spread of the virus.

A commercial poultry operation in Elbert County, Georgia, has been confirmed to have bird flu, marking the state's first case in a commercial flock since the outbreak began in 2022.
The affected site housed approximately 45,000 broiler breeders, and all poultry within a 6.2-mile radius has been quarantined for at least two weeks of surveillance testing.
Georgia has suspended all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales until further notice to prevent further spread of the virus.
State response teams have begun depopulating the affected flock, cleaning, disinfecting, and disposing of infected materials at the site.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has allocated $590 million to Moderna for the development of mRNA vaccines to combat bird flu and other influenza strains.