Fourth case of bird flu in Maryland detected at farm after preliminary test
BALTIMORE -- A presumptive positive case of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (HPAI) was detected at a commercial broiler farm in Dorchester County, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) said Monday.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Veterinary Services Laboratory will have finalized test results in the coming days, according to the MDA.
It's the fourth case of avian flu on a commercial poultry farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Last week, a flock of chickens at a Caroline County farm tested positive for Bird Flu. The flock that tested positive is located near another farm in Caroline County, where the state's first case of bird flu was confirmed on January 10. A second case was identified in Queen Anne's County on January 14, as reported by the MDA.
According to the department, seven commercial operations in the Delmarva region have seen confirmed cases of bird flu.
Bird flu, also called H5N1, primarily spreads among wild birds through nasal and eye secretions and can infect chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese, according to the CDC. It can spread to humans through contact with infected items, including equipment, clothing, and shoes.
In 2024, there were 67 human cases of avian flu, with one death reported, based on data from the CDC.
Suspected cases of HPAI can be reported to the Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5810.
Bird flu impacts
Across the U.S., bird flu is said to have impacted 136,327,394 birds, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. There have been 1,420 reported outbreaks.
The nationwide bird flu outbreak is attributed to soaring egg prices at grocery stores and restaurants, according to a report by the USDA.