Parks Closed Due To Bird Flu Deaths Reopen In Allentown

ALLENTOWN, NJ — Parks in Allentown have officially re-opened after closing in February due to dead geese discovered throughout the area, borough officials said Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Farmer’s Park, Pete Sensi Park and the parking lot along the waterway of Heritage Park have re-opened following a period with no reported bird deaths, officials said.

According to Borough Administrator Laurie Roth, there was a period of two weeks without any bird deaths. Since there weren't guidelines available to re-open the parks, Roth said the borough is using their best judgment.

“Visitors to the area are asked to report any deceased birds to Borough Hall at 609-259-3151,” borough officials said. “Thank you for your patience and cooperation in this matter.”

In early February, around 25-30 dead geese were discovered in Allentown’s millpond, according to Roth, though all three parks were closed out of precaution since they share the same waterway.

Once the dead geese were recovered, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) said the geese tested positive for Bird Flu, leading the borough to keep the parks closed throughout the remainder of February and early March.

Since those geese were collected, Roth said four more dead birds were discovered throughout the parks in late February. 30 bird deaths were reported in total, Roth said.

In addition to the geese found in Allentown, dead birds have also been reported in Belmar and Hillsborough, according to local officials. In northern Ocean County, a dead hawk is also being tested for Bird Flu.

The current strain of bird flu, H5N1, also known as avian influenza, is suspected to have caused localized deaths of multiple wild birds, predominantly snow geese and Canada geese, in parts of New Jersey since the end of December, according to the state DEP, which is responsible for tracking the spread in wild birds.

More than 140 sick or dead snow geese and Canada geese (plus lower numbers of raptors and other avian scavengers) have been reported from more than 30 locations throughout the state, DEP officials said.

As of March 10, confirmed detections of H5N1 in wild birds have occurred in Warren and Salem Counties, state officials said.

Presumptive positive detections have occurred in Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Somerset, and Sussex Counties.

Though cases of H5N1 have been reported in animals, there are no reported cases of human infection of H5N1 in New Jersey, officials said.

The US Center for Disease Control & Prevention has also declared that the H5N1 outbreak is primarily an animal health issue, and poses a low risk to public health, according to NJ DEP Spokesman Larry Hajna.

If more dead birds are discovered in Allentown’s parks, borough officials are asking visitors to call Borough Hall at 609-259-3151, and to not attempt to interact with the birds or remove/dispose of the birds themselves.

DEP Fish & Wildlife is recommending the following safety measures for the general public:

• Avoid direct contact with wild birds; observe them from a distance
• Avoid unprotected contact with wild or domestic birds that appear sick or have died
• Only eat or drink milk or dairy products made from pasteurized milk and avoid feeding pets raw milk or dairy products. Raw (unpasteurized) milk or dairy products can contain germs that make people and pets sick
• Cook poultry, eggs and beef to appropriate internal temperatures before consumption
• Review information from the CDC for specific groups and take additional precautions, including wearing PPE if you may be in contact with infected or potentially infected birds, dairy cows, or other animals.

Occurrences of avian influenza can be tracked here. For further guidance or information on H5N1, you can click here.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with further information from the Borough of Allentown.

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