Ontario and Yates County Public Health officials were notified Thursday that Snow Geese discovered dead on the west side of Seneca Lake at Kashong Point, are being tested for H5N1, also known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The site is near the border of Ontario and Yates Counties.
Yates County Director of Public Health Doug Sinclair commented “H5N1 in the Finger Lakes bird population is not new. Per US Department of Agriculture records, infections in birds from counties surrounding Seneca Lake have been documented for several years.”
HPAI is most dangerous and deadly to birds; causing large die-offs, such as the most recent ones on Seneca Lake. Mammals can also get HPAI. It was first detected in US cows in March of 2024, and in April 2024, the CDC confirmed the first human case in a Texas dairy worker.
The virus can be transmitted directly from birds, or via contaminated environments or other infected animals. Human infections are rare, but can occur if the virus is inhaled or gets into the eyes, nose, or mouth. Risk to the general public is low, though people who work with birds and cows are at greater risk of becoming infected. Human-to-human transmission can occur, but is unlikely.
“There is no cause for immediate alarm, but surveillance is important,” said Kate Ott, Director of Ontario County Public Health. “The CDC has been monitoring HPAI for decades because flu viruses can swap genetic information with each other and create new strains when they meet up in the same host, leading to pandemics. In New York, farmers are on the lookout for sick cows and workers, and are having their milk tested regularly for H5N1.”
Residents should try to keep wild and domestic flocks apart; protect their hands, eyes, nose, and mouth while disposing of dead birds; and as always, practice excellent handwashing. To report dead birds, call the NY State DEC at 585-226-5380 (Avon office); or 607-622-8274 (Bath office). Farmers should contact their veterinarians when livestock or poultry are sick, and dairy farmworkers should see their healthcare providers for eye or upper respiratory infections.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar on Thursday announced an online platform for the public to report suspected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds. The platform was designed as part of an ongoing effort to monitor HPAI in New York. The new link for reporting observations can be found on DEC’s Animal Diseases webpage.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here