Bird flu has been detected in a Georgia commercial poultry flock for the first time since a countrywide outbreak in 2022.

All poultry activities have been suspended in Georgia after bird flu was confirmed in a commercial poultry operation, officials said Friday.

Georgia officials suspended the sale of poultry in the state after confirming a positive case of bird flu in a commercial operation, threatening one of the state’s prime industries.

As bird flu swept through Europe in 2023, the U.S. enacted import bans. In October 2023, France became the first major poultry exporter to vaccinate farm-raised ducks nationwide. While there was some debate that vaccinated birds might mask infection signs, the U.S. and Canada were convinced enough to lift restrictions last week.

The first bird flu outbreak at a commercial poultry operation in Georgia was recently confirmed, as human cases continue to climb nationwide.

Georgia, the leading state in chicken production, reported its first commercial poultry bird flu case, prompting immediate action to curb the virus. The agriculture department has quarantined surrounding areas and halted poultry events,

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The national spread of the disease has alarmed public health officials, who remain concerned it could spread to humans on a large scale.