GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The cooler temperatures are no match for the strength of highly pathogenic avian influenza as it continues to spread throughout the poultry industry. On Nov. 19, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the confirmation of HPAI in a turkey breeding operation in Wayne County.
This latest case in Wayne County affected more than 9,000 turkeys. Before this case, North Carolina hadn’t had a detection in commercial poultry since Jan. 2025, the NCDA&CS reported.
Since this current outbreak started, 14 commercial flocks and 12 backyard flocks were impacted by bird flu, prior to this detection. The virus is not considered a food safety threat, and none of the affected birds enter the food supply, NCDA&CS added.
“In recent months, cases of HPAI have increased across the country,” Mike Martin, North Carolina state veterinarian, said. “With HPAI in the wild bird population and in migratory flyways, commercial operators and backyard flock owners have remained on heightened watch for any signs of the virus in their flocks.”
“Under HPAI protocols, we will be actively testing other flocks within the 10-kilometer zone in collaboration with our federal and industry partners,” Martin added. “This case of HPAI should not impact the availability of turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday.”
In the Midwest, bird flu continues to be detrimental to Indiana’s poultry industry. As of Nov. 19, five more farms were impacted by the virus. Four in LaGrange County and one in Elkhart County.
In LaGrange, two of the farms were commercial broilers, with more 23,000 birds affected at one and more than 10,000 affected at the other, the Indiana Board of Animal Health reported. The other two detections happened at a commercial meat duck farm and a commercial breeder duck farm.
At both locations, more than 2,000 ducks were affected. These cases mark the 32nd detection in Indiana in November alone, according to data from the Indiana BOAH.
Also, out in the Pacific, Hawai’i had confirmation of its second case of HPAI on Nov. 14 in a migratory duck, the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources announced. However, this time it was on the island of Maui, making it the first case on this island.
This case comes after the Oct. 2025 confirmation on Oʻahu where another migratory duck was found at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa campus.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity (DAB) and Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) continue coordinated monitoring of public health reports, poultry operations and wild bird populations for any signs of virus spread.
On Nov. 20, APHIS reported that for the previous 30 days there have been 38 commercial flocks and 48 backyard flocks affected by HPAI. Commercial flocks include 21 in Indiana and 7 in Michigan. These combined confirmations totaled 1.84 million affected birds.
For more information on bird flu, visit APHIS at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza.
