WARREN, Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resource Officers are investigating concerns of a bird flu outbreak in Warren after 40 geese were found dead in local parks. The highly contagious disease spreads as birds fly in from other areas and congregate close together in areas like the Mahoning River. Birds can pass it onto other wildlife or even humans if they come into contact with a carrier. 

“Bird flu is kind of the worst case scenario,” Denny Malloy, who is a Trumbull County Commissioner and a certified wildlife biologist, said. “It’s something that isn’t covered by your flu shot so Avian Flu is pretty bad news for young and elderly it'll cause respiratory problems.”

The Warren City Health Department is recommending people do not approach, touch, or handle any dead or visibly ill birds, keep children and pets away from dead wildlife, avoid areas where deceased animals are present, do not allow pets near wildlife and wash hands thoroughly after being near wildlife. 

Malloy is also advising people to not feed the birds in the parks since it will cause them to congregate. 

If the disease does further spread birdfeeders could cause more exposure. Malloy said if people find dead birds in their yard they should empty their bird feeder, clean it with clorox and wait about a week to put out more feed.

Livestock is also not immune to the bird flu which causes an even bigger concern for the rural parts of Trumbull County just north of where the dead birds were found. 

“There are chicken farmers right now that are crossing their fingers using every precaution that they can to keep pigeons away…they need to keep their farms quarantined from this,” Malloy said. 

ODNR is testing for all possibilities but if the flu is detected there is no treatment. It typically stops spreading in the spring when wildlife separates but until then it will have to run its course.

“Humans get cancer and all different types of disease that limits the population [the] animal kingdom has the same thing…it's not a pretty death but it is the circle of life,” Malloy said. 

The results from the ODNR test are expected by early next week. 

The Columbiana County Health Department has not received any reports of masses of dead birds. 

The Mahoning County Health Department has received one report of a flock of dead birds in Youngstown which was referred to ODNR for testing.