First case of bird flu detected in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, poultry farm, officials say
The first case of bird flu on a farm in Pennsylvania in 2025 was detected on a poultry farm in Lehigh County on Monday, the state's Department of Agriculture announced.
Lehigh County is roughly an hour northwest of Philadelphia.
The case of bird flu, aka highly pathogenic avian influenza, was detected on a 50,000 chicken flock commercial poultry farm amid a nationwide outbreak.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the samples indicated the presence of bird flu during tests at the Pennsylvania Diagnostic Laboratory System's lab. The samples were shipped to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said in a news release there's no threat to the public and state and federal teams are carrying out a plan to keep the virus from spreading. The department has quarantined the farm and all commercial poultry facilities and restricted the movement of poultry products within a 10-kilometer radius of the infected flock.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, poultry products and eggs remain safe to eat if cooked properly. As of this writing, no cattle in Pennsylvania or humans have been infected with bird flu.
"Protecting our poultry and dairy industries has been, and continues to be Pennsylvania's top priority," Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a news release. "With this confirmed positive infection in Pennsylvania and confirmed infections in poultry in surrounding states, the threat is clear and heightened. Vigilant biosecurity on both poultry and dairy farms and on any farm that raises birds is the key to minimizing the spread of the virus. Throughout the outbreak, the Shapiro Administration has worked to protect Pennsylvania farmers and our dairy and poultry industries from HPAI. Our close coordination and support from the federal government has been critical, and we must continue working together at all levels to combat this virus."
Other suspected bird flu cases in the Philadelphia region
While this suspected case might be the first on a Pennsylvania poultry farm, it's not the first presumed case of the bird flu in the Delaware Valley.
Last week, Philadelphia officials said a sick snow goose found in a West Philadelphia neighborhood was positive for the disease in preliminary tests.
Delaware reported its first case of bird flu on a commercial poultry farm earlier in January after a flock in Kent County was presumptively positive for H5N1.
At the end of December 2024, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said the bird flu is the suspected killer of about 200 snow geese found in the greater Allentown area, which is in Lehigh County.
How can bird flu spread?
Experts say residents should stay away from any sick or dead birds they see, in case they may be carrying the bird flu virus.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said while it's rare, dogs and cats can also catch bird flu by interacting with sick birds.
Veterinarians in the Philadelphia region said that pet owners should take extra precautions as the bird flu spreads across the country.
"If your cat's indoors or not around farms, and you're not around farms, and you're not feeding a raw diet or any raw milk products, your risk to your cat and yourself is very low," Dr. Erika Sweigard, of Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, told CBS News Philadelphia earlier in January.