More than 60 birds, geese, swans and ducks, were recently found dead in Plymouth, Massachusetts, state officials announced Sunday, identifying the suspected cause as highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Although the virus rarely infects humans, MassWildlife, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Agricultural Resources have urged the public not to touch birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick. Instead, they should report large groups of dead or sick birds at mass.gov/reportbirds.
Images of apparently dead and distressed birds in Plymouth were circulating on social media over the weekend, and Sunday’s announcement confirmed an outbreak in Plymouth’s Billington Sea. Officials said there have been other, smaller bird flu outbreaks elsewhere in the state affecting geese.
Avian influenza or bird flu is a disease that spreads naturally among wild aquatic birds around the world, as well as among domestic poultry and other species of birds and animals.
Avian flu can affect both wild and domestic birds, officials said, and wild mammals, especially those like foxes that prey on birds, can also become infected.
People most likely to be infected with bird flu are those who have had prolonged contact with infected birds, officials said. Anyone with questions about the disease can learn more here or call the Department of Public Health’s Epidemiology Division any time of day at 617-983-6800.
The city said the affected birds were removed Sunday morning, and a state lab was testing the birds to determine how they died. They also said they were told it could take several days to confirm a positive case of bird flu.
“City and state officials continue to advise residents to keep all pets away from deceased birds and to avoid contact with themselves. The city will continue to work with state officials to this matter and will keep the public informed as more information becomes available,” he said. announcement said.
The Cape Wildlife Center shared images of teams responding to Billington Sea, a pond, on Sunday.
“While no one wants to find themselves in this situation, we hope that today’s collective efforts will have a positive impact in helping to better understand the root cause of this outbreak and removing sick and deceased birds from the environment to reduce the spread.” the animal rescue said in a Facebook post.
On Saturday, the center noted an increase in bird flu cases, sharing general information about the virus.
