PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The bird flu likely killed some 200 snow geese found recently in the greater Allentown area, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials announced Tuesday.
Dead birds were recovered from two sites — one in Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County, and another in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
Preliminary testing indicated the presence of avian flu.
The report follows the first human death caused by bird flu in the U.S. Health officials said the person was hospitalized with severe respiratory symptoms in Louisiana before their death.
Since March, 66 confirmed bird flu infections have been reported in the U.S., but previous illnesses have been mild and most have been detected among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows.
U.S. officials have said they do not have any evidence that the virus is spreading from person to person. The H5N1 bird flu has been spreading widely among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals. Its growing presence in the environment increases the chances that people will be exposed, and potentially catch it, officials have said.
Officials continue to urge people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.