Bird flu reported in Rockland and Westchester counties
A wild Canada goose found at a lake in Rockland County has tested positive for bird flu, officials announced. It is the first bird to test positive for H5N1 avian influenza in Rockland County. It was confirmed by Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Rockland County officials say the “risk to most people” is “very low.”
On Monday, The Town of Mount Pleasant officials in Westchester received confirmation that the Canada geese found dead at the pond in Carroll Park over the weekend have tested positive for avian influenza. As a result, Carroll Park will remain closed until further notice. The State Department of Environmental Conservation said testing found two separate strains of the disease commonly known as bird flu, according to the town supervisor.
“The positive results are not surprising considering the presence of the disease being seen in various bird species across New York and other parts of the nation but it is important that we now definitively know what we’re dealing with,” said Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi. “Chief Oliva and I will be working closely with the DEC and the Westchester County Health Department in implementing a cleaning protocol for the park, and we strongly urge residents to remain watchful.”
In addition to these positive test results in Rockland and Westchester county, cases of bird flu have recently been detected at a wildlife education center in Putnam County, and at a small poultry farm in Ulster County where 60 birds were killed by the infection.
“Anyone who is a hunter, backyard flock owner, or works with sick or potentially infected animals are at higher risk for bird flu and appropriate precautions should be taken. Otherwise, for most people who do not come into direct contact with sick animals, the risk for bird flu is very low,” said Dr. Chitra Punjabi, Rockland County’s Director of TB and Communicable Disease Control.
On Friday, New York State officials closed down all live bird markets in New York City, Westchester and Long Island on a temporary basis after positive tests of bird flu at seven wild bird markets in Queens and the Bronx. The state’s new Notice and Order requires those live bird markets to “sell down all inventory, complete cleaning and disinfection procedures, and remain closed for a period of five days after cleaning and disinfection.”
Additional resources
Information on Avian Influenza from Cornell: https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/disease/avian-influenza
What to look for: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza
Updated Recent detections: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections + https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks
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