A backyard flock in Sussex County tests presumptive positive for avian influenza.
The tests were performed by a University of Delaware lab in Georgetown, and more samples were sent to a federal lab for confirmation.
The birds will not be put into the food system.
This marks the first case of H5 avian influenza in poultry in Sussex County.
Avian influenza is a contagious respiratory virus that spreads from flock to flock. It initially largely infected wild birds, which then passed the virus on to poultry.
The Delaware Department of Agriculture recommends backyard flock owners keep their birds in coops and undercover to limit contact with wild birds.
If bird owners or producers notice influenza symptoms like sneezing or coughing, backyard flock owners can reach out to the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline.
Commercial producers can inform their company, which will follow its own procedures.
