EVERETT — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed bird flu is present in birds at Lake Tye Park in Monroe, the city announced in a social media post Monday.
Bird flu is a type of influenza A virus that is widespread in wild birds. The disease can cause severe illness and death in wild and domestic birds and can also infect other animals, including livestock.
The risk of infection to the general public is low, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. People at greater risk include people who have prolonged contact with infected animals, such as poultry and dairy workers.
The majority of bird flu infections in the U.S. have resulted in clinically mild illness. Only three deaths in the U.S. have been tied to bird flu, including a Yakima County resident who died Nov. 1.
The city of Monroe is reminding residents to not handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead. If you come in contact with a sick bird, you should disinfect shoes and clothes to prevent the spread of diseases.
If you see a sick, injured or dead bird, report it to the fish and wildlife department at bit.ly/ReportAvianFlu. If the bird is at a city park, you can notify your local parks department. In Monroe, the contact is 360-863-4559. If the bird is on private property, you should follow the state’s instructions for disposing of a dead animal, which can be found at bit.ly/AvianFluDisposal.
In 2023, at least 70 geese died at Lake Tye Park from suspected bird flu.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
