A backyard flock in western North Carolina has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI).
State Veterinarian Dr. Mike Martin said it’s the first confirmed positive in Rutherford County. In the last 30 days, there have been three backyard flocks with confirmed positives; the other two were in Guilford and Union counties.
Martin is encouraging commercial and backyard flock owners to continue to follow strict biosecurity measures, and, if a flock is suddenly experiencing more deaths than usual, to report it right away to their veterinarian or to the ag department’s veterinary division.
The CDC says this type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people, but is highly contagious to other birds. The virus is also not considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food supply.
