News

Highly pathogenic H5 avian flu discovered in South Carolina waterfowl

The USDA has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in a migratory bird in southeast South Carolina.

The discovery of the wild American wigeon during routine monitoring marks the first time the Eurasian H5 strain has been detected in the U.S. since 2016.

There was a case of high-path H7 in a single commercial turkey flock in South Carolina two years ago.

A highly pathogenic H5 strain was responsible for the avian flu outbreak in 2015 that resulted in the loss of millions of chickens and turkey, but the Centers for Disease Control say the risk of infection to the general public is low.

USDA reminds anyone involved in poultry production to review their biosecurity activities.