A case of the highly infectious avian influenza, or bird flu, has been detected in a Montgomery County, Maryland, backyard flock, officials announced Thursday.
State laboratory testing confirmed a bird flu infection in one chicken, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. As a result, the whole flock and the affected area are under quarantine. The birds on the impacted properties are being or have been “depopulated” to stop the spread of the virus, officials said.
Birds from the affected flock won’t enter the food system, the agriculture department said.
Bird flu “affects chickens, ducks, and turkeys, along with some wild bird species such as ducks, geese, shorebirds, and raptors,” officials said in the news release. It spreads via nasal and eye secretions, and through manure.
The virus can spread from flock to flock in “various ways,” according to the agriculture department, including “by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers.”
The first bird flu case in Maryland since 2023 was confirmed in a poultry facility in Caroline County on Jan. 10. It happened a few days after the first U.S. bird flu death was reported in Louisiana.
In January, four Maryland farms were hit with the bird flu: two in Caroline County, one in Queen Anne’s County and another in Dorchester County.
Despite these confirmed cases, the Maryland Department of Health said there’s a low risk of transmission between birds and people.
If you happen to suspect a bird flu case on your property, you should follow these steps from the Maryland Department of Agriculture:
- Check out signs of illness. Be aware of the warning signs of infectious bird diseases.
- Call the Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5810 to report suspected sick birds.
Check out the MDA website for more information on how to protect yourself from the virus.
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