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Bird flu suspected culprit after more than 60 birds die in Plymouth
Clusters of birds were found dead at Billington Sea pond in Plymouth, and officials suspect an outbreak of avian flu to be the cause.
More than 60 Canada geese, swans, and ducks were found dead in Plymouth, state officials said Sunday, suspecting the cause to be highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI.
The outbreak occurred at Billington Sea pond, with smaller outbreaks of HPAI being reported in other parts of the state. The virus rarely infects people, but MassWildlife, the Department of Agricultural Resources, and the Department of Public Health are advising the public not to handle birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick, according to a MassWildlife press release.
Officials have been collecting and testing dead birds before safely disposing of them. Avian flu, or bird flu, can affect both wild and domesticated birds as well as raptors and waterfowl, officials said. Wild mammals such as foxes can also become infected, and birds may be infected with avian flu without showing symptoms.
What to know about bird flu
Though avian flu rarely infects humans, prolonged exposure to sick or dead birds puts people at a higher risk of infection, officials said.
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The Cape Wildlife Center was on the scene assisting with the response to the Billington Sea outbreak by collecting samples for testing and euthanizing birds that were suffering from avian flu.
“While this is not a situation anyone wants to be in, we hope that today’s collective efforts have a positive impact by helping to better understand the root cause of this outbreak and by removing sick and deceased birds from the environment to reduce further spread,” the wildlife center said in a Facebook post.
The public can assist officials with handling outbreaks by reporting groups of wild or domestic birds that are dead or appear sick. The public can also stay safe by avoiding handling wildlife, eating wild game meat, and keeping their pets away from wildlife, officials said.
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