First reported by the Gordon Gazette
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation in Gordon County, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Officials responded immediately following confirmation, and work at the site is currently underway.
This is the third confirmed HPAI case in a commercial operation in Georgia this year and the fifth detection overall in the state. Since the national outbreak began in 2022, more than 182 million birds have been affected across the United States, including 340,000 in Georgia.
“For the third time this year, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation here in Georgia,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper. “This poses a serious threat to Georgia’s #1 industry and to the thousands of Georgians whose livelihoods depend on poultry production. Our team is working around the clock to contain the spread and protect our flocks.”
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, the producer observed clinical signs of Avian Influenza in their flock and contacted the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network (GPLN) on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Samples collected that day were tested at GPLN, which confirmed a positive HPAI result on Thursday evening. The finding was further confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams (SART) were deployed on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, to carry out depopulation, disposal, cleaning, and disinfection efforts. Operations are expected to continue through the weekend. The affected facility housed approximately 140,000 broilers.
All commercial poultry operations within a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) radius are now under quarantine and will undergo surveillance testing for at least two weeks.
