On Wednesday, officials from Georgia announced the identification of a second case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), more commonly referred to as bird flu, within a second commercial poultry flock.

Channel 2 Action News had reported on the initial case located in Elbert County the previous week. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the second case was also detected in Elbert County.

State officials noted that the two sites where the avian influenza was detected are situated approximately 210 yards apart.

Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray interviewed Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper regarding the measures the state is implementing in response to this situation.

Commissioner Harper emphasized that products from Georgia remain safe for consumer use.

In a release by the Department of Agriculture, officials say that they were notified of the second positive result on Friday and the case was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory late Tuesday night.

Authorities say the second case was around 210 yards away from the first positive commercial case and that the site, known by the name “Elbert 02” had around 130,000 broilers.

What they’re saying: “Our team at the Georgia Department of Agriculture responded immediately to start depopulation, disposal, and cleaning & disinfecting operations,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.

“The close proximity of the affected premises allowed our team to respond to both cases concurrently, and while those operations continue, our law enforcement officers are maintaining a secure perimeter to prevent further spread.

I want to thank our team at the Georgia Department of Agriculture and our partners, who have been working 12+ hour days during a holiday weekend in the bitter cold to protect our state’s #1 industry and the farm families who fuel its success.”