200 Pa. snow geese die from highly lethal bird flu
While HPAI can potentially infect humans, the CDC says the current outbreak is primarily an animal health issue.
Two hundred snow geese discovered dead Monday in the Allentown area are believed to have perished from a virulent strain of bird flu, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
The birds were found in Lower Nazareth Township in Northampton County and Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County.
Officials say preliminary testing conducted by the state indicated the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), known as the H5N1 strain. However, state officials are waiting for confirmation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. Regardless, the game commission said HPAI is the presumed cause.
Other sick wild birds were seen at both locations.
A national outbreak of HPAI began in January 2022 and has spread to wild and domestic birds in every state, according to the game commission. HPAI is highly contagious — and lethal — to poultry and has the potential to significantly affect the commercial poultry industry and international trade.
Wild waterfowl and shorebirds spread the virus through feces and saliva even when they appear healthy. The disease can spread in hawks, eagles, crows, gulls, ravens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and grouse. An infected bird may exhibit signs of neurological dysfunctions such as circling, head tilting, and difficulty flying.
If you encounter bird flu
Officials ask that anyone who encounters a sick or dead wild bird report it to the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453); by emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov; or by the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.
Sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852.
If you have had contact with sick or dead birds and are not feeling well, contact your primary-care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.
The game commission is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the USDA, the Wildlife Futures Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System to monitor for HPAI in wild and domestic bird populations.
Controlling the spread of HPAI in wild populations is not really possible. But officials say you can help protect domestic or wild birds held in captivity by preventing contact between them and other wild birds.
Risk to humans is low
While HPAI can potentially infect humans, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that the current HPAI outbreak is primarily an animal health issue that poses low risk to public health.
The current outbreak of what’s known as the H5N1 bird flu strain is widespread in wild birds. The CDC said that while the current health risk to humans is low, it is monitoring the situation and working with states.
As of Monday, the CDC has confirmed 66 human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. since 2024 and 67 since 2022. On Monday, the CDC reported the first person to have died in the U.S. as the result of an H5 infection. The person had been hospitalized in Louisiana for H5N1. Outside the U.S., more than 950 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in humans to the World Health Organization. About half of those people have died.
The CDC says that there was no person-to-person transmission of the virus in the Louisiana case. Most H5 bird flu infections are the result of animal-to-human exposures.