What to know about the avian flu cases detected at two live bird markets in Philly
Pennsylvania has seen no human cases of the disease since the avian flu outbreak began in 2022.
Pennsylvania agriculture officials are continuing to monitor the spread of avian flu, after positive tests for the highly infectious virus turned up in poultry at two live bird markets in Philadelphia and one in Lehigh County in recent weeks.
The Philadelphia cases surfaced in a flock of 420 birds kept at a market in the city on Feb. 24 and a flock of 1,100 birds on March 12, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Avian flu will kill most domestic birds that it infects, and affected flocks are typically killed to prevent the spread of the disease.
Flu was detected in another flock of 350 birds in Lehigh County on March 13.
Pennsylvania has extensive quarantine orders and testing operations in place to prevent the spread of the disease and last week issued a quarantine order specifically dealing with live markets.
The state has seen no human cases of the disease since the avian flu outbreak began in 2022. Nationwide, 70 people have been infected with avian flu, and one has died. While several other states have also detected avian flu in cattle herds, Pennsylvania has seen no cases of infected cattle.
The recent live bird market cases represent the second and third known cases of avian influenza in Philadelphia. In January, an infected wild bird was identified in West Philadelphia’s Carroll Park section, and health officials notified the public because wild birds presented a greater risk for exposure.
The live market cases, health officials said, carry a lower risk for the public because these markets do not sell living birds to customers. Instead, birds are killed and cleaned on-site before customers take them home.
“There isn’t an additional risk to the general public, because dead birds cannot efficiently transmit the virus,” said Gayle Mendoza, a spokesperson for the city health department. The department is not aware of any dead birds who had contracted the virus being sold to customers at the live markets, she said.
Even if an infected bird had been sold to a customer, she said that person would only be at risk for contracting avian flu if they didn’t follow food safety precautions, like washing their hands before and after handling raw meat and cooking the bird to safe temperatures.
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The risks are highest among people who work closely with infected birds or other animals. The health department is monitoring workers at the live markets, Mendoza said, and has given the antiviral medication Tamiflu to workers who need it.
In general, people can reduce their risks by avoiding raw milk or raw milk products, because pasteurization kills pathogens, Mendoza said. Poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, ground meat to 160 degrees, and whole cuts of meat to 145 degrees to kill bacteria and viruses. Egg yolks and whites should be cooked until they are firm.
The health department also maintains a frequently asked questions page on bird flu that includes hygiene recommendations for residents who come into close contact with birds, like backyard chicken owners.