The Maryland Department of Agriculture on Friday said it detected bird flu in commercial broiler chickens in Caroline County through routine sampling.

Every broiler flock that goes to harvest is tested for bird flu, said Maryland State Veterinarian Jennifer Trout. The infected broilers were ready for harvest and were supposed to leave next week, but through routine testing, the disease was found.

This is the first case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in a commercial poultry operation in Maryland since 2023, according to the MDA, and it follows positive cases of bird flu in two commercial flocks in neighboring Kent County in Delaware in the last month.

Trout stressed that chicken for consumers is safe.

“There’s no issues and people shouldn’t be concerned about meat or eggs,” Trout said. “Affected flock doesn’t enter the food chain, so the human health risk to avian influenza is really low.”

After the positive test was found, Trout said they put a quarantine in place that restricted moving poultry and equipment on the farm. Then they disinfect the farm and test to confirm the virus is not present.

Along with quarantining the affected properties, state officials kill the affected birds to stop the spread of the disease, according to the MDA.

Avian influenza, or bird flu, “is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure,” according to the state agriculture department.

MDA officials said the risk of transmission between birds and the general public is low. There have been more than 60 reported human cases of bird flu in the United States — though none in Maryland — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state also began testing milk for bird flu in January, which can spread to dairy cows through wild birds.

Detection of H5N1 at the commercial facility comes as officials on Thursday also confirmed bird flu in wild snow geese on the Eastern Shore in Dorchester and Worcester counties.

Since 2022 – and before Friday’s case – bird flu has been detected in five Maryland farms and one backyard flock, Trout said.

Trout said MDA has been monitoring the wild birds, and that the bird flu on the farm came from the affected wild birds.

As a result of positive tests of the virus, the MDA urged all poultry farmers to be vigilant and practice enhanced biosecurity on their farms, including: cleaning and disinfecting transportation; avoiding walking through areas that have wildlife feces; and making sure not to give wild birds, rodents and insects a free lunch with loose feed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory will release their final results in the coming days.