State environmental and health officials are informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which very rarely infects humans, is suspected to be the cause of more than 60 deceased Canada geese, swans, and other birds discovered at Billington Sea in Plymouth.
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife , Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Town of Plymouth, New England Wildlife Center, and Clean Harbors were onsite Sunday morning, January 19, 2025, at 9:00am to safely assess and remove the affected birds. The state will begin lab tests on the removed birds to determine cause of death.
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) are advising the public to refrain from handling birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick.
Plymouth’s Department of Health and Human Services in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlights the following to advise the community:
- People should avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with avian influenza A viruses.
- If you must have direct/close contact with infected or potentially infected birds or other animals, wear recommended personal protective equipment (PPE).
- As a general precaution, whenever possible, people should avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, and other animals, and observe them only from a distance.
- If you must have direct/close contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, or other animals, wear recommended personal protective equipment (PPE). Wild birds can be infected with avian (bird) influenza (flu) A viruses even if they don’t look sick.
- Do not touch surfaces or materials (e.g., animal litter or bedding material) contaminated with saliva, mucous, or animal feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected avian bird influenza A virus infection.
- Do not touch or consume raw milk or raw milk products, especially from animals with confirmed or suspected avian influenza A virus infection
- Avian influenza viruses spread through direct, bird-to-bird contact. They can also spread via contaminated surfaces or materials, such as manure; egg flats, crates, or other farming materials and equipment; and people’s clothing, shoes, or hands.
- Removal of deceased birds or other wildlife should be left to Town and state officials.
- All backyard poultry should be corralled for the foreseeable future and not let to roam free range. “Poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild waterfowl, limit the number of people that have access to your flock, and if you share equipment with other bird owners, clean and disinfect between locations,” states Plymouth’s Public Health Director, Karen Keane.
The New England Wildlife Center also provided these guidelines for pets:
For Dogs and Cats:
- Keep dogs leashed and away from areas where waterfowl or wild birds gather.
- Do not let pets eat or play with dead wildlife.
- If you have outdoor cats, consider keeping them indoors to reduce exposure risk if HPAI is prevalent in your area.
- Increase biosecurity measures.
- Avoid introducing new birds to your flock without proper quarantine or consulting your veterinarian.
- Restrict access to wild birds by securing coops and using netting over outdoor enclosures.
- Clean and disinfect feeding and watering stations regularly.
- Avoid sharing equipment or supplies with other bird owners.
According to the CDC, handling infected birds is unlikely to lead to illness in people. However, you should seek medical attention if you experience any influenza-like symptoms or illness within 10 days of handling sick or dead birds.
To report large-scale wild bird die-offs or other unusual signs in wild birds, contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by calling 1-866-4USDA-WS or 1-866-487-3297.
As a reminder if you come across multiple sick or deceased wild birds in your area please report them to masswildlife here: https://www.mass.gov/forms/report-observations-of-dead-wild-birds
Photos courtesy of New England Wildlife Center. Chicken photo by Claudia Bernardi.