Canada geese from Alameda's Crown Beach test positive for bird flu; park district asks visitors to stay clear of sick and dead birds

Canada geese picked up at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the East Bay Regional Park District said Friday.

Alameda County Vector Control collected the birds on Oct. 8 and Oct. 12, according to the park district, which manages the beach. The district did not say how many geese were found or where they were tested, and it did not announce any closures.

The district called the risk to the public low. It said people can be infected through close or prolonged contact with infected birds or places they have contaminated, and that such infections tend to be more common in fall and winter.

What visitors are asked to do

The district's advice:

Do not touch wild birds.
Stay at least 50 feet from any dead bird.
Keep children and dogs away from birds, carcasses and droppings.

People who find a sick or dead bird in Alameda County can call Alameda County Vector Control at 510-567-6800 or go to acvcsd.org. In Contra Costa County the number is 925-685-9301. The district asks callers to give the exact location and, if they can, a photo or map pin.

The park district said it is working with Alameda County Public Health, Alameda County Vector Control, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the city of Alameda, and will post updates. The county health department keeps an avian flu page at health.alamedacountyca.gov/program/avian-flu, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information at cdc.gov/bird-flu.

Sources

ebparks.org

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