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Waterfowl tests positive for bird flu, found dead at Lake Julian Park

Lake Julian Park
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation
Lake Julian Park

A dead waterfowl found at Lake Julian Park has tested positive for bird flu, according to a Friday press release from Buncombe County officials.

The bird was found sick at the beginning of the week and taken for medical treatment. It died on Tuesday evening, and test results were received on Thursday night after the park had closed, according to county spokesperson Lillian Govus.

In total, officials said, Buncombe County Parks and Recreation staff have identified eight deceased waterfowl at the park but did not give a specific timeframe.

Staff members are testing the others for bird flu but results are pending, officials said Friday. There is no timeline for when test results will be available.

Lake Julian Park will remain open to visitors, but people should avoid touching or feeding the waterfowl, officials warned.

“It's not common for the virus to transmit from animals to humans, but it is possible,” Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson said. "Reduce your risk of infection by staying away from sick or dead birds, and the same goes for your pets, as well."

Symptoms of bird flu include fever, cough, shortness of breath, runny nose, and red, irritated eyes.

The specific strain of Avian Influenza H5N1 was “first detected in 2020 as it spread from wild birds to poultry” and over the last year has gained increased attention due to “sporadic infections in humans," according to an article published earlier this month by the NC State School of Veterinary Medicine.

"The disease has also sickened or killed dozens of domestic and wild cats in the West and Midwest, United States Department of Agriculture data shows."

The CDC has reported 67 confirmed total human cases of H5 Bird Flu in the US since 2024, including one associated death.

Most human infections have occurred from close contact with infected animals, so the risk to the public is still considered low, but some scientists are growing more concerned about it developing into a future pandemic.

In North Carolina, three commercial flocks – representing 3.3 million chickens – have been impacted by bird flu, according to a USDA dashboard.

Laura Hackett joined Blue Ridge Public Radio in June 2023. Originally from Florida, she moved to Asheville more than six years ago and in that time has worked as a writer, journalist, and content creator for organizations like AVLtoday, Mountain Xpress, and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She has a degree in creative writing from Florida Southern College, and in 2023, she completed the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY's Product Immersion for Small Newsrooms program. In her free time, she loves exploring the city by bike, testing out new restaurants, and hanging out with her dog Iroh at French Broad River Park.