BETHLEHEM, Pa. — About 200 snow geese were found dead Monday in Lehigh and Northampton counties, and state officials said avian influenza likely is to blame.
Dead birds were recovered from Lower Nazareth Township and Upper Macungie Township, according to a Thursday news release from the state Game Commission.
“The situation is ongoing as sick wild birds were also observed at both locations.”Pennsylvania Game Commission release
“Preliminary in-state testing indicated the presence of highly pathogenic AI" HPAI, officials said.
“While results are yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] at their National Veterinary Services Laboratories, HPAI is presumed to be the cause of these mortality events.
“The situation is ongoing as sick wild birds were also observed at both locations.”
Residents who encounter sick or dead wild birds can report them to the state Game Commission by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), by emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov or by using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.
Residents should report any sick or dead domestic birds to the state Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852, according to the release.
If anyone has contact with sick or dead birds and is not feeling well, he or she should contact their primary care physician or the state Department of Health at 877-724-3258.
Highly contagious
Bird flu is caused by an influenza type A virus and is highly contagious and often fatal in birds.
While some wild bird species can carry the virus without becoming sick, HPAI has been affecting both wild waterfowl as well as domestic poultry species since 2022.
The virus jumped from birds to mammals in the Lehigh Valley in 2023, when a red fox became the first mammal in the region infected.
In early May, a bald eagle collected March 11 in Northampton County also tested positive.
Most recently, in November, state agriculture officials mandated Pennsylvania dairies to bulk test for avian influenza. While no cases of the virus have been reported in Pennsylvania cattle, other states have seen a marked uptick in cases.
Although the threat to humans is low, local health officials said it’s important to keep a close watch on the situation before it turns into a pandemic.
