Bird Flu Detected At Burlington Co. Commercial Farm

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — A bird flu case was detected on a commercial farm in Burlington County, marking the county's first-confirmed instance of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a domestic population since the outbreak began.

The case was confirmed on a commercial bird farm, officials said Thursday. The precise location wasn't specified.

The farm owner noticed an increase in bird deaths and notified the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA).

"State and Federal partners are taking prompt action to prevent the spread of disease," the NJDA said in a statement. "The farm is quarantined and will not receive new poultry until the quarantine is lifted after a thorough cleaning and disinfection to eliminate the virus on the farm."

It's unclear how many birds on the farm have been impacted. Patch contacted the NJDA with questions and will update with any response.

HPAI strains carry a particularly potent form of avian influenza, including the H5N1 strain at the center of an outbreak in recent years.

The disease is highly contagious and often deadly in wild and domestic birds, while cattle in multiple states have fallen ill.

In the past two years, there have been 71 confirmed human cases across the nation — most of whom were exposed through cattle or poultry farming, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Two people have died.

No human-to-human transmission has been observed, and the CDC doesn't believe that HPAI is an immediate public-health concern.

Once HPAI is detected in poultry, the only way to stop it is by culling all affected or exposed birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 166 million commercial birds have died or been culled across the nation since the outbreak emerged in 2022, coinciding with a rise in egg prices, according to the LA Times.

This instance marks the first confirmed case of HPAI on a Burlington County farm since the outbreak began. It was previously detected in a wild Canada goose found dead last February in Pemberton.

A resurgence of bird deaths attributable to avian influenza has been observed in various parts of New Jersey since November. Officials believe it's impacting wild birds in all counties, including but not limited to waterfowl, raptors, and scavenger birds.

Officials recommend avoiding contact with sick or dead wildlife.

If you suspect HPAI in livestock, alert the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400.

Additional resources on HPAI are available below:

• nj.gov/h5n1
• NJDA Division of Animal Health
• USDA's avian influenza webpage