LEHIGH COUNTY, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PennDOA) confirmed the first positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Pennsylvania in 2025. It was discovered in a 50,000-bird layer chicken flock on a commercial poultry farm in Lehigh County. 

PennDOA has quarantined the farm and all commercial poultry facilities, restricting the movement of poultry products within a 10-kilometer radios of the infected flock. This detection is the first confirmed in commercial poultry in PA since February 2024. The last detection in domestic birds was a backyard flock in October 2024. 

There is no risk to the general public, and poultry products and eggs are safe to eat if cooked properly, according to PennDOA. However, HPAI is highly infectious and is generally fatal to domestic birds. 

No infections in dairy cattle or humans have been detected in Pennsylvania to date. The virus has infected dairy cattle in states further west, but cattle are not sickened to the degree that birds are. 

“Protecting our poultry and dairy industries has been, and continues to be Pennsylvania’s top priority,” PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “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."

While there have been human infections of HPAI in other states, mainly in workers in close contact with infected poultry and dairy cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, avian influenza presents very low risk to human health. 

If you suspect your poultry is infected with avian influenza, please report your concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852, option 1.

Poultry farmers and those raising backyard flocks should refer to the PADLS website control zone address checker map to determine if your flock is located in the control zone or surveillance zone. The map will reflect the zones based on these preliminary findings and can found here: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. 

The PADLS website, under the PDA guidance, the sampling, submitting, and permitting tabs, contains guidance documents for surveillance testing and for obtaining permits, found here: padls.agriculture.pa.gov/InnerPages/HPAI.html

Anyone who encounters a sick or dead wild bird is asked to report it to the PA Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453.

If you have had contact with sick or dead birds and are not feeling well, please contact your primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.