Avian Flu Outbreak Confirmed In Hudson Valley

LIBERTY, NY — An outbreak of avian flu was detected in Sullivan County.

The Sullivan County Department of Public Health was notified of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a multi-species flock in Sullivan County.

Health officials said the outbreak was laboratory-confirmed to be of the H5N1 influenza strain.

The flock, authorities said, is made up of chickens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl that were possibly exposed via contact with wild waterfowl.

As of Monday, more than 100 birds died of the infection, while the remainder of the 116-bird flock were euthanized over the weekend.

In February, the federal Department of Agriculture confirmed the detection of avian flu at a commercial turkey facility in Dubois County, Indiana. That was the first confirmed case in the United States since 2020.

Since that initial case, New York health officials said multiple cases have been seen in commercial or backyard flocks in Fulton, Ulster, Dutchess, Monroe, Orleans and Suffolk counties. Wild birds infected with avian flu were identified in Wayne, Suffolk, Seneca and Cayuga counties.

There have been no documented human cases occurring due to this particular outbreak among local fowl, said Sullivan County Public Health Director Nancy McGraw.

“But historically, pandemic influenza outbreaks have started in animals and spilled over into the human population,” she said, “so we’re keeping a very close eye on the situation with the NYS Department of Health.”

Human infections can occur in an individual who comes into contact with ill birds. Symptoms in birds include diarrhea, malaise, loss of egg production and/or misshaped eggs, anorexia, discolored combs, wattles, hocks and skin around the eyes, neurological changes (discoordination), death with no other apparent cause and swelling, according to health officials.

According to the World Health Organization, almost all cases of H5N1 infection in people have been associated with close contact with infected live or dead birds or H5N1-contaminated environments.

Medical experts said the virus does not infect humans easily, and spread from person to person appears to be unusual. There is no evidence that the disease can be spread to people through properly prepared and thoroughly cooked food.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the spreading of bird flu viruses from one infected person to a close contact is very rare. When it has happened, it has only spread to a few people.

However, because of the possibility that bird flu viruses could change and gain the ability to spread easily between people, monitoring for human infection and person-to-person spread is extremly important for public health, the CDC said.

Exposure that could lead to possible infection includes inhalation of viral particles as well as viral particles entering mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose and mouth. The virus is shed through saliva, feces and mucous. Droplets or dust can act as a vehicle for human transmission.

McGraw said, if you have had contact with an ill bird and are exhibiting symptoms such as conjunctivitis, upper respiratory symptoms, fever, body aches or symptoms consistent with any flu-like illness, call the Sullivan County health department at 845-292-5910, ext. 0.

“Laboratory testing will be needed to confirm a human infection after exposure to an ill bird,” she said.

For general questions about the disease, call 845-292-5910 and ask for the Epidemiology Department, or visit the state health department website.