Wayne County has its first confirmed case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, state officials reported Friday. The "bird flu" virus was first detected in Michigan in 2022; and has been the focus of attention in recent weeks both in the state and across the country.

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, in a flock of chickens, ducks and peacocks on Jan. 15. These birds were family pets and had been in close contact with wild waterfowl from a nearby pond, according to the release.

In addition to the isolation measures, birds were killed to prevent the highly-contagious virus from spreading, officials said.