ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A backyard flock in Rutherford County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI), marking the first confirmed case in the county, state officials said Thursday.

The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh. Over the past 30 days, three backyard flocks in North Carolina have tested positive, including cases in Guilford and Union counties.

“HPAI has been found in wild birds throughout the state, so reports of positive backyard flocks will likely happen on occasion,” Dr. Mike Martin, North Carolina’s state veterinarian, said in a news release. “I encourage our commercial and backyard flock owners to continue to follow strict biosecurity measures and, if your flock is experiencing a sudden higher-than-normal mortality rate, report it right away to your local veterinarian or to the NCDA&CS’ Veterinary Division at 919-707-3250.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this strain of HPAI is considered a low risk to humans but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard poultry. Infected birds do not enter the food supply, and the virus is not considered a food safety threat.

For more information on biosecurity and HPAI signs, visit the NCDA&CS website. Questions about migratory birds, hunting or dead wild waterfowl can be directed to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission here.