H5 Avian Influenza Cases Confirmed in Sussex County, NY, New Hampshire

Recent testing has confirmed cases of avian influenza in multiple locations across the U.S., including Sussex County, Delaware, where a backyard flock tested presumptive positive, leading to a quarantine and depopulation of affected birds. In New York, Canada geese found dead in both the village of Phoenix and Mount Pleasant have also tested positive for the virus, prompting park closures and public health advisories. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has identified two separate strains of avian influenza in the dead geese and continues to monitor the situation closely. Officials emphasize the importance of keeping pets and children away from sick or dead birds to mitigate health risks, as avian flu can be transmissible to humans. State health authorities report no known human cases of the virus in New York, but caution that exposure risk increases as the disease spreads among bird populations. Nationwide, over 156 million birds have been culled since the outbreak began, impacting poultry prices significantly.