What we know about bird flu detected in Rockland County
Health officials are informing the public about what they should know in the wake of Rockland County announcing bird flu was detected in a wild Canada goose.
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Health officials are informing the public about what they should know in the wake of Rockland County announcing bird flu was detected in a wild Canada goose.
"For the general public, there's no cause of alarm,” said Dr. Chitra Punjabi, the director of TB and Communicable Disease Control, with the Rockland County Health Department.
Dr. Punjabi adds the risk of transmission to people is low and there has been no human case in New York. Though she still shares a cautionary message, "we all try to help our animals, it comes from a good place but be cautious and not do so. Do not approach any dead animals because of this ongoing circulation of this virus right now."
News 12 saw four dead geese at Memorial Park in Spring Valley on Friday, where county health officials said dead ones were recently found.
According to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, when many are found dead, it's believed they died from the bird flu and because the illness is throughout the state, not all reports will of dead birds will be taken for testing or disposal.
Lake Lucille in New City is where one tested positive for the bird flu.
Rockland health officials says that last month, a woman went to get the goose from the lake and the animal later died from the illness.
Officials say they do not have any concern about the woman being sick because she did not have much contact with it and the incubation time has passed.
