WASHINGTON — Colorado reported its first major highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) case in two years.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the virus in a commercial flock in Delta County, Colo., which affected 67,200 birds. The last commercial case reported in Colorado was in December 2022. 

In other areas of the country, APHIS reported a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in a commercial turkey meat bird flock in Lenoir County, NC. The outbreak affected 32,500 birds.

A commercial broiler producer in Gage County, Neb., also posted about an outbreak that affected 102,000 birds on Feb. 6.

In the past 30 days, the disease has been identified in eight commercial flocks and 12 backyard flocks, affecting a total of about 530,000 birds, according to data from the USDA and APHIS.