In addition to the isolation measures, birds were killed to prevent the highly-contagious virus from spreading, officials said.

For the first time, birds in a Wayne County backyard flock have been sickened by the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, MDARD reported.

A positive case was detected in a commercial poultry operation in Elbert County, Georgia, the Department of Agriculture said.

Bird flu cases were confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in northeast Georgia. The state’s department of agriculture has suspended all poultry exhibitions, shows and sales until further notice. This is the first confirmed case in a poultry operation in Georgia and the fifth overall case in the state.