On Apr. 3, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial pheasant flock (poultry) in Erath County, Texas.

Samples from the Texas flock were tested at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

Federal and State partners work jointly on additional surveillance and testing in and nearby affected areas, following existing avian influenza response plans. According to the CDC, the current public health risk is low. The CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.