The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first positive case of bird flu in domestic poultry in the state for 2025.
It was discovered in a 50,000 bird-layer chicken flock on a commercial poultry farm in Lehigh County. A state and federal interagency task force is on the farm carrying out a comprehensive response plan to help keep the virus from spreading further. The Department has quarantined the farm and all commercial poultry facilities, restricting the movement of poultry products within a 10-kilometer radius of the infected flock.
The agriculture department said that there is no risk to the general public, and poultry products and eggs are safe to eat if cooked properly. There have been no cases of bird flu reported in any Pennsylvania cattle or humans. The virus has infected dairy cattle in states further west, but cattle are not sickened to the degree that birds are. Milk that has been pasteurized is safe to drink.
This marks the first time since February 2024 that avian flu was detected in a commercial poultry flock, and the first time since last October that it was detected in domestic birds.
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