The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus at the Reynolds Game Farm in Tompkins County has been confirmed.
Initial tests on suspicious deaths at the farm suggested a possible outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza (AI) virus, which was later confirmed on Thursday by the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab. The farm has been placed under quarantine, and a full 120-day quarantine period is required. At least 500 of the breeder flock of 6,600 pheasants have died from HPAI. The remaining breeder flock is being depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease in accordance with standard HPAI response protocols.
The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory is working closely with DEC and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) to manage the outbreak and conduct additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flock. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. HPAI cases in humans are rare, and symptoms are typically mild. The risk of a person becoming infected is low
