HPAI Detected in Commercial Poultry Flock in Gordon County, Georgia
A detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed last week in a commercial poultry flock in Gordon County, Georgia, according to Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle, Georgia’s State Veterinarian. The flock, consisting of approximately 140,000 broilers, showed signs of elevated mortality, prompting immediate testing and rapid response.
“It was reported to us last week, the 23rd of October, that a commercial poultry flock in Gordon County, Georgia, a flock of approximately 140,000 broilers, had elevated mortality,” Dr. Hennebelle said. “The grower notified their company, the company contacted the Georgia Poultry Lab, and samples were collected Thursday morning, and those tests were run, and we got results of a presumptive, positive, highly pathogenic avian influenza result.”
Testing and Confirmation
Samples from the flock were sent overnight to the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. The federal lab confirmed the presence of the same HPAI virus strain that has been circulating and causing outbreaks across the U.S. since 2022.
“Our teams, in communication with USDA and the company on Thursday night, started setting up a plan, and we were on site Friday morning,” Dr. Hennebelle explained. “The depopulation was completed on Friday, so that is essentially, in just about 24 hours, we had the depopulation complete.”
Control Area and Biosecurity Measures
Following confirmation, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) established a control area around the affected premises — a 10-kilometer (approximately six-mile) radius — to help contain the virus and prevent further spread.
“Whenever we have a commercial poultry premises with a detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza, we establish what’s called a control area,” said Dr. Hennebelle. “There’s roughly 50 farms in that control area, so they’re all currently under quarantine. Now, that doesn’t mean they can’t continue operations, but it just means that they’re subject to some movement controls that require a permit from us, from GDA, in order for them to move and maintain continuity of business.”
Continued Vigilance
The Georgia Department of Agriculture, in coordination with USDA and local producers, continues to monitor the situation closely. Poultry producers are urged to strengthen biosecurity protocols, limit farm access, and report unusual bird deaths immediately to state officials.
This recent detection underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance as the HPAI virus remains active nationwide.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.