The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced that the suspension of poultry assembly is rescinded immediately in the state. All poultry exhibitions, shows, sales, swaps and meets in Georgia are permitted to return to normal operation.
There have been no new cases of avian influenza since March 27, 2017 in Georgia. State Veterinarian Robert Cobb stated that the Georgia LPAI Surveillance Zone in Chattooga County, the location where the bird flu was confirmed in the state, has had multiple rounds of negative sample surveillance. Furthermore, the surrounding areas and states, which had been affected by the disease earlier this year, have all had extensive monitoring and have had no positive cases of bird flu in commercial or backyard flocks.
The GDA asks that poultry producers remain diligent in implementing biosecurity. The increasingly warm weather in Georgia might lessen the spread of avian influenza, but it is still important to be observant and report any sick birds to the HPAI Hotline or the USDA.
USDA: 1-866536-7593
HPAI Hotline: 855-491-1432
