Since the start of the New Year, two commercial turkey flocks in Sampson County have tested positive for H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu or avian flu.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that the presence of the virus was confirmed in a flock of commercial turkey breeder hens on Jan. 7, affecting 20,200 birds. This follows an earlier reported case of HPAI in a commercial flock of 14,000 commercial meat turkeys on Jan. 2, also in Sampson County.
The locations of the farms are kept confidential, explained Heather Overton, assistant director of public affairs for the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “The reason we have that is that we really want farmers to come to us when there might be an animal disease problem on their farm,” she said.
The most recent HPAI results are considered part of the same outbreak that started in 2022, Overton informed. “In January 2025, we also had two turkey breeders’ flocks that tested positive so there have been four total cases since January 2025 in Sampson County.”
“We’re over three years into this outbreak; we’re in year four now,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Martin. “This is still predominantly a wild bird virus. That’s how it’s getting into the commercial and backyard flocks. If people have dead birds on their property, they should check with Wildlife Resources Commission how to dispose of those birds. I would think of this virus out there as wet paint that’s invisible. When people are coming into contact with wild birds wherever they go, they should clean their shoes and change their clothes. It’s been very active across the state and the country as well, and I would encourage people to protect their own animals.”
HPAI is highly contagious and can spread through a flock very quickly. Because of this, when a flock tests positive, that flock is “depopulated,” or euthanized, to keep from spreading the disease to another flock, Overton said.
Commercial growers have been dealing with HPAI since 2022, she continued, and as a result, North Carolina growers have worked hard to ensure biosecurity.
Overton said the most important action growers and flock owners can take to prevent the disease is to limit opportunities for cross-contamination. “If you have workers that go to multiple facilities, make sure that they’re cleaning their shoes, they’re wearing PPE (personal protective equipment), they’re not spreading to other locations,” she said. “We know that it’s in our migratory birds, but it’s also in our non-migratory birds. The biggest thing for any poultry owner, and that would go for backyard birds and commercial, would be to keep them away from wild birds and their droppings.”
Dr. Martin seconded that point. “Keep your animals separate from wild birds as best you can,” he advised. “People with their own personal flock, they should be aware if there’s anything like spilled feed on their property. They should be aggressive about trying to clear that up. It’s very common in black vultures. Whatever you can do to keep wild birds from your property, please do it. It’s a good idea to keep clothes and shoes specifically for that purpose in case you have been walking around where wild birds may have shed and spread that virus.”
So far, the risks to the human population have been low. The Centers for Disease Control actually has a dashboard documenting human cases of HPAI. Since 2024, there have been 71 cases nationwide and two deaths.
Of those cases, Dr. Martin said, “All but two or three of them were people that worked on an affected poultry farm or an affected dairy farm. It’s always good to be cautious but it’s considered a low risk for humans.”
As far as other species, Overton said it has been diagnosed in dairy cattle, as well as one bear in North Carolina. The USDA has a dashboard that shows all confirmed cases of HPAI in the country. You can visit it at www.aphis.usda.gov/h5n1-hpai.
Overton stressed that incidences of avian flu are not considered a threat to the nation’s food supply.
Commercial or backyard flock owners should always monitor their birds and immediately report any incidences of higher mortality rates to a local veterinarian or the state veterinarian’s office at 919-707-3250.