Philly reports first suspected case of bird flu in an ill snow goose found near Carroll Park

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An ill snow goose found earlier this month near Carroll Park in West Philadelphia has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu, according to preliminary state health results.

This marks Philadelphia’s first recorded case of bird flu, as a national outbreak continues to infect millions of birds a year, as well as dairy cattle, wild animals and a small number of humans.

“The threat to Philadelphians from H5N1 remains low, but we are issuing this alert out of an abundance of caution,” city Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson said in a statement Wednesday.

The ill snow goose was found Jan. 11 on the 1200 block of North 59th Street. Health experts say people should look out for sick wild birds, “stay away from them, and report them to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.”

City officials say any residents near Carroll Park who may have had direct contact with the infected snow goose should call the health department’s Division of Disease Control.

The ongoing national H5N1 bird flu outbreak began in 2022 and has affected more than 136 million birds to date, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both wild and commercial flocks have been infected, but chicken and turkey farms have been the hardest hit.

Bird flu has been suspected in the deaths of about 200 snow geese this month at two locations in the Lehigh Valley, according to the state Game Commission.

When a bird tests positive for avian flu, it and its entire flock are typically euthanized in efforts to limit the spread of disease.

There have also been reports of avian flu in marine mammals like dolphins and seals, wild animals like foxes and raccoons, domesticated pets including cats and dogs and livestock like dairy cattle and goats.

About 67 people in the U.S. have tested positive for avian influenza, according to the CDC, and one person died of bird flu earlier this month. There have been no human cases yet in Pennsylvania, Delaware or New Jersey, but some states have extended seasonal surveillance testing.

Most cases involved people who handled or were exposed to livestock or poultry birds. The CDC and city health officials stress the risk of human infection remains low.

To report a sick wild bird, contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 833-722-4868 or pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov. After direct contact with a sick bird, contact the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Division of Disease Control at 215-685-6741. Residents concerned about sick backyard chickens can contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852.