Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in Backyard Flock in Pierce County, Georgia

Fri, Apr 17 2026

PIERCE COUNTY, GA - Today, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed a positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial, backyard (non-poultry) flock in Pierce County, Georgia. The affected flock-comprised of approximately 60 chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys-has been depopulated as part of standard response protocols to prevent further spread of the disease.

"We are working around the clock to protect our state's poultry industry. Our team acted swiftly to respond to the detection of HPAI, implement containment protocols, and limit the potential spread of the disease," said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. "In Georgia, we have maintained strong biosecurity measures since the nationwide HPAI outbreak began in 2022. To date, the outbreak has impacted more than 206 million birds nationwide, with less than 0.25 percent of those cases occurring in Georgia-the nation's top poultry producer. This underscores the effectiveness of strong biosecurity practices and the dedication of our animal health professionals and poultry producers."

Beginning Friday, April 10, 2026, the flock owner observed increased mortality and contacted the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network (GPLN) on Tuesday, April 14. On Wednesday, April 15, staff from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and GPLN were dispatched to the premises to collect samples, which were submitted to the UGA Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic & Investigational Laboratory (TVDIL) for initial testing. Samples were identified as non-negative for HPAI on the same day. The results were subsequently confirmed as positive by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) on Friday, April 17.

Depopulation, disposal, cleaning & disinfection operations were completed on Thursday, April 16, 2026, to mitigate further spread of the disease. It is most likely that transmission occurred through contact with wild birds or viral material shed by wild birds into the environment. There are no commercial poultry or dairy cattle operations located within a 10 Kilometer (6.2 mile) radius around the affected premises.

Owners of poultry flocks are strongly encouraged to closely observe their birds and report a sudden increase in the number of sick birds or bird deaths to the Avian Influenza Hotline at 770-766-6850.

For more information regarding biosecurity visit:
Protect Your Flock (Georgia Dept. of Ag)
Defend the Flock - Resource Center (USDA APHIS)
AI Information for Hunters (USDA)
Avian Influenza FAQ

• Category
• Avian Influenza

Media contacts

• Matthew Agvent, Communications Director
• Liz Rivera-Brown, Deputy Communications Director

About the GDA
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is the voice of the state's agriculture community. The department's mission is to provide excellence in services and regulatory functions, to protect and promote agriculture and consumer interests, and to ensure an abundance of safe food and fiber for Georgia, America, and the world by using state-of-the-art technology and a professional workforce.

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For more information, visit https://www.agr.georgia.gov.

Georgia Department of Agriculture
Tyler J Harper, Commissioner
19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30334