Bird flu has now been confirmed in two backyard flocks, according to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

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.

As more cases of bird flu emerge across the country, public health leaders in New York City are watching warily -- and making preparations in case the virus becomes a more immediate threat.