Testing points to likely cause after 70+ vultures found dead on Ohio school grounds
By Emily Sanderson
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PIERCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLWT) — The dozens of vultures found dead on the grounds of an Ohio school had died of the bird flu, according to health officials.
The Clermont County Public Health department said preliminary lab test results for the dead vultures found in Pierce Township indicate the birds died from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), H5, otherwise known as the “bird flu.”
The risk of bird flu to the public is low, health officials said.
The birds were first spotted last Monday, with more than 70 found dead on the athletic fields near St. Bernadette School in Pierce Township.
Photos showed the birds scattered along the athletic grounds near a shelter.
Two birds were delivered to the state laboratory for testing. Health officials said it will take 10 days to receive the final report to confirm the presumptive HPAI diagnosis as the cause of death.
Health officials say that because of the initial screening result for HPAI, the lab will not move forward with additional testing.
Additional testing is underway to determine if bird flu is impacting other wildlife.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the risk to humans remains low but urges people to avoid contact with dead birds.
Since 2024, 71 human cases of bird flu have been confirmed, including one reported by Ohio’s Department of Health in February.
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