Bird Flu Found In Wayne County Backyard Flock: Officials

WAYNE COUNTY, MI — The bird flu has been found in a backyard flock in Wayne County, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said Thursday.

Officials did not say specifically where the flock was located in the county, or its species and how many birds were infected with the virus.

Officials did say the affected premises were under quarantine, and that the birds were depopulated to prevent disease spread.

The case is the first time the highly infectious H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in Wayne County since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2022.

Last week, the virus was found in a backyard flock in Oakland County. Officials were initially monitoring 11 people who were in contact with the flock, but later increased that number to 12. At least one person had flu-like symptoms and was being tested, officials said.

The bird flu is a highly contagious virus that can spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, as well as through infected poultry, equipment and clothing and shoes of caretakers, according to state officials.

The public health risk associated with avian influenza is low, and no animals or products infected with the flu will enter the commercial food chain, according to state officials.

Michigan's first 2024 case of bird flu was found earlier this year in Ionia County, roughly 40 miles outside Lansing. Since then, the disease has shown up on 30 dairy farms in Michigan, and made six farmworkers sick.