Backyard flock in Rutherford County tests positive for bird flu
File photo
A backyard flock in Rutherford County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.
This is the first confirmed positive in Rutherford County. In the last 30 days, there have been three backyard flocks with confirmed positives in North Carolina. Cases have also been confirmed in Guilford and Union counties.
This type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The virus is also not considered a food safety threat, and infected birds do not enter the food supply.
More information on biosecurity and the signs of HPAI can be found at ncagr.gov/divisions/veterinary/avianinfluenza.
