State officials said the virus was found in a backyard flock, Monroe County's first case since flu was first detected in Michigan.

"HPAI is a highly contagious virus that can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected animals, by equipment, and on the

HPAI spreads easily among birds and – while rare – can spread from birds to people. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to people from HPAI viruses to be low.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza for the first time in Monroe County near the Ohio border. State offials say the backyard flock is the first detection of the virus in the county since 2022 and the sixth case in the state reported since the beginning of