A case of bird flu was discovered at a live bird market in Union County, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture announced Friday, marking the first positive bird flu case among domestic poultry in New Jersey since 2023. The case was identified in test samples collected on Feb. 19 that were submitted and tested at the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory as part of routine surveillance.
The live poultry market, which was not identified by officials, has been quarantined and will undergo a thorough cleaning and disinfection to eliminate the virus within the facility, state officials said. The facility will remain temporarily closed before being restocked and reopened. “The risk of HPAI to the general public remains low and no poultry were sold to the public that may have been infected,” according to the press release.
The news comes one month after the country’s first bird flu death and amid sightings of dozens of dead waterfowl in New Jersey parks throughout the state suspected to have died of bird flu. The resurgence began in December, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, and is believed to be impacting various species of wild birds in all counties, including but not limited to waterfowl, raptors, and scavenger birds. To read the full story.