Dead geese at UMass had bird flu

A pair of Canada geese rest while floating on a calm Silver Lake in Athol. The first two cases of bird flu at the University of Massachusetts Amherst were discovered last weekend when two dead Canadian geese tested positive for the disease. file photo
Published: 01-22-2025 3:17 PM |
AMHERST — The first two cases of bird flu on the University of Massachusetts campus were discovered over the weekend when two deceased Canadian geese tested positive for disease, the university announced.
The announcement comes on the heels of the largest outbreak to date in the state when some 60 geese, swans and ducks at Billington Sea in Plymouth tested positive.
Bird flu, a colloquial name for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), is primarily an animal disease, but it can transmit to humans on rare occurrence. As a precaution, UMass placed signs near the Campus Pond warning visitors against feeding or touching geese, a university spokesperson said.
First identified in the state in 2022, towns in other parts of the state have reported outbreaks of fewer than 15 animals in the past several weeks.
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife suggests avoiding handling wild birds and keeping pets away from areas with known outbreaks. Humans with prolonged contact with sick or dead birds are most likely to contract HPAI.
The state agencies encourage people to report observations of sick or deceased birds if five or more birds are found at a single location using this simple form at mass.gov/reportbirds.
The public should report sick or dead poultry or other domestic birds by calling MDAR’s Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795.
Any sick or deceased birds found on the UMass campus can be reported to UMass Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) at 413-545-2682.
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Massachusetts is one of at least 16 states across the country experiencing an outbreak of bird flu.
Georgia officials last week suspended the sale of poultry in the state after confirming a positive case of bird flu in a commercial operation. It also made its way to Maryland.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 928 dairy herd nationwide, mostly California. More than 12 million birds also have been affected in the last 30 days, according to the USDA.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 67 U.S. cases of bird flu infections in humans since 2024. One person, a 65-year-old Louisiana man with underlying health conditions, died after he was likely exposed to the virus from wild birds and a non-commercial backyard flock, the Louisiana Department of Health reported earlier this month.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced earlier this month that it has awarded $306 million to monitor this outbreak and prepare for more human infections. More than half of that will go to regional, state and local programs.
Earlier avian flu outbreaks have proven especially deadly for humans, causing roughly half of the infected to die. This current version of avian flu seems to be less dangerous, causing mild respiratory illness and conjunctivitis, better known as pink eye, according to the CDC.
Other symptoms include coughing, fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Symptoms usually last up to two weeks. More severe cases can cause pneumonia, organ damage, septic shock and death. It’s not clear how long people are contagious, but scientists believe it’s similar to regular, seasonal influenza, according to the CDC.