1 March 2025
Yesterday’s information was sobering for Pittsburgh’s winter crow flock when the Put up-Gazette reported that fifty crows discovered lifeless in January examined optimistic for H5N1 extremely pathogenic avian influenza. It was the primary incidence of avian flu in Allegheny County in additional than two years.
The Pittsburgh crows have been collected on Jan. 24 and examined optimistic in preliminary checks for the lethal virus on Feb. 10, stated Travis Lau, communications director for the Sport Fee.
— Put up-Gazette: First Pittsburgh circumstances of avian flu in years detected in American crows
It’s not exhausting to think about the way it occurred. In January Pittsburgh’s winter flock of 15,000 crows roosts communally and followers out through the day as a lot as 50 miles to search out meals. The furthest vacationers would have caught chicken flu in an contaminated surrounding county and introduced it to the roost. H5N1 is so contagious that it rapidly unfold to flock mates.
Apparently the crows knew what to do when dying visited the roost. Crow watchers observed that they modified the roost location quite a bit in January, maybe avoiding sick birds and dying areas. Possibly that’s why we haven’t heard of extra crows deaths. Or possibly it merely takes weeks for the stories to succeed in us.
In the meantime remember the fact that when you discover a sick or lifeless chicken you shouldn’t contact it!
Due to the extremely contagious nature of the virus amongst birds, and the truth that, whereas uncommon, it may be transmitted to people, the Allegheny County Well being Division (ACHD), the Sport Fee and different companies urge the general public to not contact sick or lifeless birds and report them to the Sport Fee.
Anybody who sees a sick or lifeless wild chicken ought to report it to the PA Sport Fee at 833-742-9453.
Residents who suspect their poultry is contaminated with avian influenza ought to name the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Well being and Diagnostic Companies at 717-772-2852, choice 1.
Residents who really feel in poor health after contact with sick or lifeless birds ought to seek the advice of their major care doctor or the Pennsylvania Division of Well being at 877-724-3258.
— Put up-Gazette: First Pittsburgh circumstances of avian flu in years detected in American crows
Learn extra within the Put up-Gazette: First Pittsburgh circumstances of avian flu in years detected in American crows.
See the 2021-2025 distribution of extremely pathogenic (HPAI, H5N1) avian influenza in wild birds within the U.S. by county as of mid-February 2025 right here at USDA.
