More than 200 snow geese found across Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley are suspected to have died from avian influenza, and experts fear the death toll could rise even further as cases continue to soar. are.
The bird was found in Lower Nazareth Township, Norhampton County, and Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County. 6ABC reported. The two sites are just over 32 miles apart.
Initial tests have confirmed the H5N1 virus, also known as avian influenza, in some geese, but the results need to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture before they can be officially confirmed as a new case of avian influenza. There is a need.
Infected but still alive birds were also found at both sites.
Travis Rau, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission, which is investigating the incident, told local ABC affiliate, “These fatalities that we have documented suggest that something much worse is on the horizon.'' I just hope that's not the case.”
Many birds infected with avian influenza are often humanely euthanized as there is no known treatment or cure for the animal disease. In many cases, it takes less than a day for infected birds to die from the disease.
“This is tragic, and when you find out that other animals are feeding on those carcasses, it creates a horrible domino effect. So we have eagles. We saw eagles flying around. They're eating these carcasses and they're getting infected,” Pocono Wildlife Wilders Co-Executive Director Janine Tancredi told the news station.
Avian influenza cases are rapidly increasing across the United States, infecting everything from the eponymous bird to cows and domestic cats, and even humans.
A total of 66 human cases have been reported nationwide. According to 2024, 36 people were confirmed to have been infected through contact with infected cattle in California, the highest number of cases of any state. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California also recalled raw milk due to product contaminated with avian influenza.
According to the CDC, nearly 11,000 wild birds have been infected with avian influenza since January 2022. A whopping 129,795,101 poultry have been infected since February 2022, with outbreaks caused by infected poultry in all 50 states.
