The Georgia Department of Agriculture, working in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has confirmed a second case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry flock in Walker County.
The confirmation marks the second detection of HPAI in a commercial poultry operation in Georgia in 2026 and the fifth overall detection in the state since the nationwide outbreak began in February 2022.
The affected operation, identified as Walker 02, is located within the existing HPAI control area and housed approximately 16,000 broiler breeder chickens. State and federal response teams accelerated on-site operations to protect animal health, safeguard personnel, and prevent further spread of the virus, particularly with inclement weather forecast across North Georgia this weekend. Depopulation at the Walker 02 facility was completed Friday, Jan. 23.
“Through routine surveillance testing, a second commercial poultry operation in Walker County has been confirmed positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper. “Control area testing is critical to identifying the virus as early as possible and limiting its spread into the environment. HPAI poses a serious threat to Georgia’s number one industry and to the thousands of Georgians whose livelihoods depend on poultry production.”
Harper said the Georgia Department of Agriculture deployed immediately following the presumptive positive test result and continues working around the clock to contain the virus, protect Georgia’s poultry flock, and minimize impacts to producers and consumers.
Premovement samples were collected from the operation on Thursday, Jan. 22, and the Georgia Poultry Lab Network returned a presumptive positive result for HPAI. That early detection allowed the Department of Agriculture to begin on-site response measures immediately, without waiting for confirmatory testing from the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory. Federal confirmation was received late Friday afternoon.
While confirmatory testing provides additional details about the virus strain, officials noted it does not alter the required response, which includes depopulation, disposal, and ongoing cleaning and disinfecting operations.
All commercial poultry operations within a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) control area remain under quarantine and are subject to enhanced surveillance testing. Due to the proximity of the Walker 01 and Walker 02 facilities, the control area has been expanded to include five additional farms.
Movement of poultry, poultry products, and related materials into, out of, or within the control area is prohibited without a permit issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The affected premises are secured by GDA Law Enforcement, and access is limited to authorized personnel only.