The Department of Environmental Management says avian flu has been detected in a non-commercial backyard flock in Washington County.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced the presence of the presence of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

Rhode Island officials on Friday afternoon confirmed the presence of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in a noncommercial farm flock in southern Washington County. The state Department of Environmental Management said in a statement that department staff euthanized about 40 birds earlier Friday “to minimize their suffering from the infection and prevent the spread of the disease to other birds.