Delaware announces presumptive positive avian influenza case in Kent County backyard poultry flock

DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today that testing of a Kent County backyard poultry flock has returned presumptive positive for H5 HPAI (avian influenza).

State officials have quarantined and are monitoring the affected premises, where a mixed species poultry flock has experienced a high death rate. The remaining poultry are being depopulated to prevent disease spread.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds through nasal and eye secretions and manure. The virus can be spread from flock to flock, including flocks of wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, equipment and the clothing and shoes of caretakers. This virus affects poultry, like chickens, ducks, and turkeys, and some wild bird species, such as ducks, geese and shorebirds.

This is the first Delaware detection of avian influenza during the 2025-26 waterfowl migratory season. The Delaware Department of Agriculture, with the help of the University of Delaware laboratory system, performs active surveillance and testing of birds for avian influenza within the state every day. Surveillance is conducted at commercial poultry operations, exhibition and backyard flocks, and at livestock and poultry auctions.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture requires the registration of all locations where live poultry is kept, which allows timely information on disease incidents to be sent to all poultry producers. Registration forms are available online at https://de.gov/poultry.

Key Tips:
All poultry owners should increase their vigilance in protecting their flocks from contracting avian influenza by following these steps:

• Exclude your flock from spaces where wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl, have access.
• Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items prior to contact with flocks.
• Isolate any animals with signs of illness and contact your veterinarian.
• Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm to limit the chances of bringing the virus from an outside source.
• Avoid visiting other poultry farms and any unnecessary travel off the farm.
• Limit, monitor and record any movement of people, vehicles or animals on or off your farm.

Delaware backyard flock owners who notice any unusual symptoms signs in their flock should email poultry.health@delaware.gov or call the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline at 302-698-4507 and provide your contact information, size of flock, location, and concerns. Find helpful tips here: https://agriculture.delaware.gov/poultry-animal-health/avian-flu-graphics/.

Commercial poultry producers should follow the procedures of contacting the company they grow for when they notice signs of disease.

All Delawareans, especially waterfowl hunters, are reminded to not handle obviously sick or dead wild birds. Hunters are encouraged to practice biosecurity practices. Review a fact sheet here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf.

AI Breakdown:
Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus that can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and is carried by free-flying waterfowl and wild birds, such as ducks, geese, raptors, and shorebirds.

AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible.

Each combination is considered a different subtype and can be further broken down into different strains that circulate within flyways/geographic regions. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high) — the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry.