Quarry Pond Temporarily Closed as Several Dead Geese Are Tested for Bird Flu
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is testing several dead geese for bird flu after they were found in the vicinity of the frozen-over Quarry Pond. Signs like this one were placed around Quarry by Campus Safety warning students not to approach birds. (Vincent DiFonzo/The Gettysburgian)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
Quarry Pond has been temporarily closed amid an ongoing investigation by the Pennsylvania Game Commission after several dead geese were found in the area. Campus Safety Executive Director Alex Wiltz made the announcement in a campus-wide email on Saturday evening, reporting that the state’s game commission is testing the deceased animals for bird flu, a virus that normally spreads between birds and animals, but on rare occasions, can be contracted by humans.
“Humans can catch bird flu from sick animals or surfaces touched by sick animals, though this is rare. It is also extremely rare for bird flu to spread from person to person,” wrote Wiltz.
Until the investigation is complete, Campus Safety asks that students avoid the Quarry Pond area and avoid feeding or approaching birds around campus. Wiltz noted that the CDC currently classifies the public health risk from bird flu as “low.” He also linked to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website on bird flu.
In humans, mild bird flu symptoms are similar to the common flu, while more serious symptoms include difficulty breathing, seizures and altered consciousness, according to the CDC.
Only 67 human cases of bird flu have been confirmed in the United States, according to the CDC. Only one death from the disease has been confirmed. Outside the country, nearly 1000 cases have been reported to the World Health Organization. About half of those cases resulted in death, according to a WHO report published last month.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would be paying $590 million to pharmaceutical company Moderna to hasten development of a bird flu vaccine. Also on Friday, all poultry activity in the state of Georgia was suspended due to a confirmed bird flu case.
Wiltz stated that Campus Safety would further update the campus community as soon as test results are available.
A frozen Quarry Pond has been temporarily closed amid a bird flu investigation launched after several dead geese were found. (Vincent DiFonzo/The Gettysburgian)
