Preliminary test results for avian influenza for the goose specimens that were collected in Jamesport last month “suggest the geese were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), with a ‘non-negative’ finding,” a DEC spokesperson said today.
“Confirmatory testing at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory is underway,” according to an DEC spokesperson Aphrodite Montalvo.
More coverage: State DEC warns against contact with dead or sick birds on Long Island
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to infect birds and mammals across the U.S. and Canada, including New York State, the DEC said. HPAI is carried by free-flying waterfowl and other waterbirds, such as ducks, geese, and shorebirds, but can also infect domestic poultry, raptors, corvids, and mammals.
DEC’s Wildlife Health Program is monitoring the spread and impact of HPAI throughout the state and has an online reporting tool the public can use to report suspected HPAI mortalities: NYSDEC Avian Influenza Reporting Form, the agency said. Updates on HPAI can be found on the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab website.
The public should strongly consider that groups of birds found deceased are HPAI positive and should follow CDC safety protocols to reduce contact.
DEC advises the public to avoid any contact with sick or dead birds and mammals that may be infected with HPAI.
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