Environment

Nahant officials issue public health alert after dead birds found on North Shore beach

The birds are suspected of having Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, officials said.

Gaston Brito Miserocchi

By Emily Spatz

2 minutes to read

Officials in Nahant have issued a public health alert after dead birds suspected of having avian influenza were found along a North Shore beach. 

Dead birds have been found on Short Beach in Nahant, officials said in a public health announcement last week. Though test results have not been confirmed, the birds are suspected of having Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (Mass Wildlife) said in a statement to Boston.com.

Avian flu is a highly contagious, deadly disease that can cause severe disease in both wild and domestic birds.

While most avian flu strains cannot be transmitted to humans, those that are can be transmitted through direct handling of birds or bird carcasses. If infected, symptoms in people can range from a mild upper respiratory tract infection to more severe illness, according to the World Health Organization. 

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Bird flu has also been known to infect wild animals that eat birds or poultry and has spread sporadically to some domestic animals, according to the CDC.

About 20 dead birds, including several species, were sampled from Nahant, Mass Wildlife said.

“All birds sampled from Nahant were tested at Tufts and these preliminary results came back consistent for what is expected for HPAI infected birds,” Mass Wildlife said. “Samples have been submitted to National Veterinary Services Lab for confirmation tests.”

There have been other likely cases in the region, Mass Wildlife said, and communities nearby Nahant have reported similar findings, officials said. Nahant also experienced a “similar situation” in June of 2022, according to the public health announcement. 

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Officials are asking the public to avoid direct contact with dead or live birds that are showing symptoms and to keep domesticated animals away.

Both domesticated and wild birds can be infected with HPAI, officials said. The public is asked to report domestic birds who may have the virus at (617) 626-1795. Wild songbird deaths should be reported only if five or more birds are found at a single location, according to Mass Wildlife. 

“The Commonwealth is investigating the cause of death and we will share more information as we receive it,” Nahant officials said in the announcement. 

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