H5N1, commonly known as bid flu, has been detected in wild birds in surrounding counties, but detections in poultry are limited mostly to north Alabama.
Wild Birds
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Jackson County has detected two wild infected birds, and Okaloosa County has detected one infected bird.
The majority of Florida counties have seen infections; the northwestern part of the state has not shown as many infections as the peninsula. Eastern Brevard County and Orange County are the most affected, respectively detecting 380 and 51 infections in wild birds.
In Georgia, Seminole County reports 11 detections of infection in wild birds.
Barbour County is currently the closest Alabama county showing wild bird infections, with nine cases detected.
Poultry Flocks
When it comes to poultry flocks, cases are not yet widespread in the south.
Alabama has not seen many commercial and backyard flock infections; the state reports six flocks being infected, Chilton, Pickens, Cullman, Etowah, Marshall and Lawrence Counties each report one flock being infected. All six flocks total just under 471,000 sick birds.
Georgia and Florida do not report any nearby flock infections.
Human Cases
A case of bird flu in a human in Louisiana led the CDC to believe the disease has mutated to be more transmissible. The patient was likely infected after having contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. The agency said the mutations it identified in samples taken during the patient’s hospitalization weren’t found in the birds, suggesting they aren’t in the virus widely circulating in wildlife.
The CDC stands by the idea the risk to the public is low.
Still, there have been 65 confirmed human cases of H5N1 in 2024; 39 cases were associated with dairy herds, 23 came from poultry farms, and the remaining 2 cases are unclear when it comes to the source. The severe case in Louisiana is the only one associated with a backyard flock.
