The Maryland Department of Agriculture found a second case of bird flu Tuesday on a commercial chicken farm in Queen Anne’s County.

This positive case, found through routine sampling, came four days after MDA officials detected bird flu on Friday in a commercial poultry operation in Caroline County. These are the first positive cases at poultry facilities in the state since 2023.

MDA officials said there are four commercial operations in the Delmarva region confirmed to have bird flu, including two in Kent County, Delaware.

State officials quarantined the affected premises and also killed the affected birds to prevent the spread of the disease, according to MDA.

How is bird flu spread?

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.

The virus can spread from flock to flock, by wild birds, equipment and on clothing and shoes of caretakers, according to MDA. The airborne virus affects chickens, ducks and turkeys, and also wild bird species like shorebirds and raptors.

But there is little risk of bird flu spreading to humans, Maryland State Veterinarian Jennifer Trout said.

“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.”

Human cases of bird flu in US

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.

In Maryland, these are the first positive cases since 2023, according to MDA.

The two positive cases of bird flu in Maryland were detected as officials on Thursday also confirmed bird flu in wild snow geese on the Eastern Shore in Dorchester and Worcester counties.

As a result of the first 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.