NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s agricultural sector is on heightened alert following a suspected outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at a commercial chicken facility in Gibson County earlier this week.
State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Beaty stated, “Although we are awaiting final confirmation, we are confident the illness affecting this flock is HPAI. HPAI continues to circulate in our environment, particularly in the wild bird population. As always, we strongly encourage people who own birds to practice strong biosecurity to protect their flock.”
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has implemented a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) control zone around the affected facility. Within this zone, poultry will undergo testing and monitoring, and the movement of poultry requires permitting until the zone is released. Officials are working with poultry owners in the area to provide guidance and mitigate further spread.
This suspected outbreak coincides with a troubling rise in HPAI cases across the country and globally. On December 18, a 65-year-old man in Louisiana became the first U.S. patient hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1 bird flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials stated the man likely contracted the virus from sick birds in his backyard.