Numerous deceased ducks, geese, and various other bird species have been discovered strewn across a Long Island beach, sparking concerns among experts that they may have fallen victim to a rampant strain of avian influenza. Approximately 20 birds suspected to have contracted the bird flu were found along a beach in East Patchogue situated on the Great South Bay, as per recent reports.
Eyewitness Tim Jones described a grim scene near his private waterfront community, Patchogue Shores, stating, “They were everywhere, dead in the water, floating by the shore. Some had already been scavenged.” Among the deceased birds were geese found on the shores of a beach in Patchogue.
This suspected incident of avian influenza follows a series of previously reported infections on the island. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has advised local residents to “strongly consider” the possibility that the deceased animals might be contaminated with highly pathogenic avian influenza.
While the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) affecting humans is generally low, individuals who come into contact with sick or deceased birds are urged to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, eye irritation, and body aches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reportedly, New York has recorded 485 confirmed cases of bird flu since the start of 2022, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture. This suspected infection comes in the wake of Long Island’s last surviving duck farm, Crescent Duck Farm in Aquabogue, being compelled to euthanize nearly 100,000 of its poultry due to an outbreak of avian flu.
In efforts to recover from the devastating effects of the outbreak, the farm has recently hatched 3,700 chicks.
