The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Monday.
The department reports the farm in eastern Pennsylvania and all surrounding commercial poultry facilities are quarantined — restricting the movement of poultry products within a roughly 6-mile radius of the infected flock.
The virus was found in a 50,000-bird flock on a commercial poultry farm in Lehigh County.
The positive case poses no health risk to the general public, according to the health department. Eggs and poultry products are safe if cooked properly. The virus is deadly to domestic birds, though.
Pennsylvania has been on high alert since the beginning of the outbreak of HPAI in 2022. This detection is the first confirmed in commercial poultry in Pennsylvania since February, 2024. The department reports that the last reported detection in domestic birds was in a backyard flock just north of Pittsburgh in Venango County in October 2024.
No infections in dairy cattle or humans have been detected in Pennsylvania to date. The state has been aggressively testing milk since late last year.
If you suspect your poultry is infected with avian influenza, please report concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852, option 1.