WALKER COUNTY, GA – Today, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), confirmed a positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a second commercial poultry flock in Walker County, Georgia. This marks the second detection of HPAI in a commercial poultry operation in Georgia in 2026 and the fifth detection overall since the nationwide outbreak began in February 2022. The affected premises, designated Walker 02, is located within the existing Control Area and housed approximately 16,000 broiler breeder chickens. In response—and amid forecasted inclement weather expected across North Georgia this weekend—state and federal response teams have accelerated on-site operations to protect animal health, safeguard personnel, and prevent further spread of the virus. As a result of this swift response, depopulation at Walker 02 was completed on Friday, January 23, 2026.
“Through routine surveillance testing, a second commercial poultry operation in Walker County has been confirmed positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Control area testing is critical to identifying the virus as early as possible and limiting its spread into the environment,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “HPAI poses a serious threat to Georgia’s number one industry and to the thousands of Georgians whose livelihoods depend on poultry production. The Georgia Department of Agriculture deployed immediately to Walker 02, and our teams are working around the clock to contain the virus, protect our state’s poultry flock, and minimize impacts to other producers and Georgia consumers.”
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, premovement samples were collected from the commercial poultry operation and the Georgia Poultry Lab Network (GPLN) returned a presumptive positive result for HPAI. This early notification allowed GDA to immediately initiate on-site response operations in accordance with animal disease response protocols, without waiting for confirmatory testing from the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL). Public announcement of an HPAI detection requires confirmation from NVSL, which was received late in the afternoon on January 23, 2026. While NVSL testing provides additional information about the virus strain, it does not change the GDA’s required response, which mandates immediate action to contain the disease through depopulation, disposal, and cleaning and disinfecting operations that remain ongoing.
All commercial poultry operations within a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) control area remain under quarantine and are subject to enhanced surveillance testing. Due to the proximity of the Walker 01 and Walker 02 premises, the control area was expanded to include five additional farms. Movement of poultry, poultry products, and related materials into, out of, or within the control area is strictly prohibited without a permit issued by GDA. To further prevent the spread of the disease, the affected premises have been secured by GDA Law Enforcement, and access is limited exclusively to authorized personnel.