Portion of hiking trail closed as officials test vulture carcasses for bird flu

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    HARTFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — Part of a hiking trail near Fisherman’s Park in Harford County was shut down Tuesday after officials said they found dead vultures and are testing them for bird flu.

Constellation, the company that operates the Conowingo Dam, said the carcasses of black vultures were found on a property near Fisherman’s Park. According to the company, the animals could potentially have bird flu, and are being tested by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

Most of the dead birds were found on the Wildflower trailhead and the Mason Dixon trail between the Overlook parking area and Fisherman’s Park. No dead birds were found near the fishing wharf on the Conowingo Dam, according to Constellation.

The company is working with several state and federal agencies to protect visitors and other wild birds in the park, including eagles that live in the area.

Fisherman’s Park is still open, but the Wildflower trailhead and the Mason Dixon trail between the Overlook parking area and Fisherman’s Park are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of bird flu, according to Constellation.

The closures are in place to prevent people from walking or biking through the area and potentially coming in contact with infected birds. The company is advising visitors to avoid contact with wild birds, especially ones that are dead or acting erratically.

Sick or dead birds can be reported to security at the park or on the USDA website.

Bird flu in Maryland

At least seven cases of bird flu have been reported in Maryland since February 2.

The state reported its first case of bird flu this year on January 10 after a routine test at a farm in Caroline County.

Since then, cases have also been reported in Montgomery, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Worcester Counties.

In mid-March, a case was reported in a backyard flock in Anne Arundel County, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

In each case, the impacted areas are quarantined and the birds are depopulated to prevent the spread of bird flu.

How does bird flu spread?

H5N1 bird flu, or Avian Influenza, can cause outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The virus is contagious among birds and can infect chickens, ducks, geese and other wild birds through their waste or nasal and eye secretions.

Humans can also contract bird flu through contact with infected birds or other items like clothes, shoes and equipment.

According to the CDC, the public health risk is currently low, but there have been 70 cases of humans catching bird flu and one reported death. The virus is not known to spread from person to person at this time.

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