Avian Flu Confirmed In Swan Deaths In Point Pleasant Beach: Officials

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Residents are being urged to stay away from the Lake of the Lilies after cases of the avian flu have been confirmed in birds that have died at the lake.

Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra said cases of the avian flu had been confirmed, after more than a dozen swans and some geese were found dead at the lake over the weekend.

"We have confirmed cases of bird flu at Lake of the Lilies. While the risk of human transmission is low, please stay away from the area for the time being until it has run its course amongst the swans and geese there," Kanitra wrote on his Facebook page.

Borough administrator Christine Riehl said 14 swans had died between Sunday and Monday morning. A resident who contacted Patch said at least 18 swans had died, and there were several geese that had died as well.

The borough's animal control officer along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which tracks cases of the avian flu in both wild birds and commercial poultry stocks, were investigating, Riehl said.

Lyndsay Cole, a spokeswoman with the USDA, said New Jersey authorities collected samples from the swans that died and samples from three were sent to the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

"They tested positive," Cole said. "However, since these samples were not tested as part of USDA’s wild bird surveillance program, we do not have any additional information."

Avian influenza has affected three backyard flocks, killing 156 birds in New Jersey, according to the USDA. The agency has tracked 49 wild bird deaths in the state from the avian flu through its wild bird surveillance program.

Nationwide this year, the current highly pathenogenic variant of the avian flu is connected with the deaths of nearly 48 million commercially owned or backyard-kept birds, the USDA said.

The outbreak of the illness led to the euthanization of dozens of birds at Popcorn Park Wildlife Refuge in Lacey Township, and the zoo's decision to halt the sale of peanuts and popcorn to feed to the park's animals, officials at the zoo said.

The zoo shut down last week to sanitize and implement bio-security measures to prevent new infection, Popcorn Park staff said.

Avian flu is classified into two types, low pathenogenic and highly pathenogenic, depending on the severity of the illness it causes in poultry, according to the USDA.

Wild birds can be infected with it and show no signs of illness but can carry it to new areas when they migrate, the agency says.

Avian influenza infections in people are very rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Note: This has been updated with comment from the USDA.