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A third case of bird flu has been reported in Anne Arundel County, according to preliminary tests, the Maryland Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.
A backyard flock at the Frederick Animal Health Laboratory tested presumptive positive for the virus.
The facility is part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, state agriculture officials said.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture has quarantined the affected premises, and the birds on the property are being depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.
Officials said the flock's birds will not enter the food supply.
Additional samples have been sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation.
This marks the third reported case in Anne Arundel County in 2025.
Anne Arundel County saw reports of bird flu in March and May.
Bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza) is a virus that spreads in birds and can cause outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The virus is contagious among birds, including chickens, turkeys, geese, and more. Bird flu can also spread to humans through contact with infected equipment or clothing, according to MDA.
In 2024, the CDC said there were 67 human infections with the virus.
According to CBS News, most of those cases were workers at poultry or dairy farms who experienced only mild symptoms.
In Maryland, bird flu has been seen across multiple counties, including outbreaks on commercial poultry farms and backyard flocks in Caroline, Queen Anne's, Montgomery, Worcester, Dorchester, and Anne Arundel counties.
Bird Flu has been linked to rising egg prices. Producers have said the virus has forced them to euthanize millions of chickens.
36.3 million commercial table egg layers were lost to avian influenza outbreaks in 2025, according to a Sep. 5 report by the United States Department of Agriculture.
As millions of hens were removed from production due to bird flu in January and February, wholesale egg prices climbed, according to the report.
Per the data, both the amount of egg losses and the cost of eggs have declined since the February spike.
During peak egg losses of 18.8 million in January and 11.3 million in February, egg prices surged to nearly $8.50-$8.80 per dozen, the highest levels of 2025.