Michigan has now confirmed that the avian flu, which has spread across the country in what is now being called the worst bird flu outbreak in U.S. history, has been found in Canadian geese.

Three young geese that were found in Sterling Heights, Michigan, about 20 to 30 miles north of Detroit, were collected and tested for the highly pathogenic H5N2 flu, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Director Keith Creagh said that the state is now focusing on preventing the spread of the disease to the state's poultry population. This latest strain of the flu has already demonstrated its ability to infect populations of both domestic and wild birds.

"This confirmed positive finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza prompts several steps that are informed by Michigan's Surveillance and Response Plan for HPAI in free-ranging wildlife," says Creagh. "The DNR and MDARD are working with other experts and taking advantage of every available resource to ensure a swift, appropriate response that limits the spread of HPAI."

The finding means that Michigan now becomes the 21st state to report cases of this highly contagious strain of flu while it also became the sixth state to confirm the flu in wild or free range bird flocks. So far there have been 226 confirmed detections across the country affecting approximately 50 million birds.

"While this is disappointing news that the H5N2 virus has been found in Michigan's free-ranging bird population, it was not unexpected given avian influenza has been found in a number of our neighboring states and Ontario," MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams says.

Adams emphasized that the avian influenza had not yet been found in the states' domestic poultry flocks. "MDARD will continue to work hand-in-hand with our backyard and commercial poultry farmers to conduct surveillance testing and provide education along with Michigan State University's Extension on implementing and stepping up on-farm biosecurity practices to protect the health of Michigan's domestic poultry."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of this latest bird flu to humans is very low. To date, there have been no reported cases of infections of the H5N2 strain of the virus. Food safety is also not a concern as all birds in the affected populations have been removed from the food chain.