New York State has announced an online platform for the public to report suspected cases of Avian Bird Flu in wild birds.
State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said the platform was designed as part of an ongoing effort to monitor Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in New York.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “I encourage New Yorkers to keep an eye out for sick or dead wild birds and use this tool to assist in New York State’s joint response. I’m also reminding our citizens who own backyard poultry flocks to monitor their animals for illness, unexplained deaths, or sudden drops in egg production. If any of these signs are present, contact our Division of Animal Industry right away by calling (518) 457-3502 or emailing dai@agriculture.ny.gov. Working together, we make sure that we are catching HPAI early and doing everything we can protect our animals, farmers, and public health.”
Avian Bird Flu continues to infect birds and mammals across the United States and Canada, including New York. The first detection of HPAI in New York State was in a backyard poultry flock in Suffolk County in February 2022. Since 2022, HPAI has been detected in free-ranging wild birds and wild mammals throughout the state and in captive birds in several counties.
The new link for reporting observations can be found on DEC’s Animal Diseases webpage. Once a report is received, the DEC’s field response is guided by the report’s details, including the number of sick or dead birds, bird species, and observations from new areas where HPAI has not yet been documented. Of particular interest are reports of suspected outbreaks in all species of waterfowl, raptors, crows, shorebirds, and other waterbirds such as gulls, loons, and herons. These species are known HPAI vectors, particularly vulnerable to the disease, when testing can help DEC track HPAI prevalence on the landscape.
HPAI is widespread in wild birds and mammals, so not all reports will result in DEC retrieving the animals for testing and/or disposal. The public can help minimize risk and limit disease spread by preventing contact between domestic animals and wild birds. In cases where DEC field staff are not responding to collect samples or carcasses from the landscape, the public should limit contact with dead wildlife and keep domestic animals away. If removal of carcasses is deemed necessary, the public is reminded to wear disposable gloves, a mask, and eye protection. Avoid direct contact with the carcass or carcass fluids by using a shovel and washing hands and clothing immediately after with soap and hot water. Carcasses should be triple bagged (garbage or contractor bags) and placed in an outdoor trash receptacle.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that recent HPAI detections in birds pose a low risk to the public. While there is likely little risk for the public, people with close or prolonged unprotected contact with infected birds or virus-contaminated environments are at greater risk of infection.
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