A Canada goose found dead on Jan. 4 in South Manheim Township has tested positive for avian influenza.

It marks the first case of bird flu reported in Schuylkill County this year.

The highly contagious disease has been detected so far this year in a number of counties and in species ranging from red foxes to owls and bald eagles, according to a report shared by Pennsylvania Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau.

In Carbon County, a dead American crow found on Jan. 13 in Penn Forest Township, and a dead snow goose found Jan. 21 in Lower Towamensing Township, tested positive for bird flu.

Those reports follow Carbon County’s first case of the year, when a Canada goose was found dead in Packer Township.

Northampton County had several cases of infected red-tail hawks in January in East Allen, Bushkill and Hanover townships. The disease was also found last month in a great-horned owl, snow goose, red-shouldered hawk, black vulture and bald eagle at different locations in Northampton County.

Also in January, bird flu was detected in an American crow, red fox and red-tailed hawk in Lehigh County.

According to the game commission, the flu can lead to sickness or death in wild birds, including hawks, eagles, crows, gulls, ravens, ducks, geese, turkey and grouse.

Signs of infection in wild birds may include neurological dysfunction such as circling, head tilting and difficulty flying.

Anyone who encounters a sick or dead wild bird can contact the game commission at 833-742-9453 or pgcwildlifehealth@pa.gov, or by using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.

Mammals can be infected with the virus when they eat infected birds or animals, or if they are exposed to environments contaminated with virus.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the current bird flu outbreak is primarily an animal health issue that poses low risk to humans.

In December, the game commission reported that approximately 5,000 snow geese in Northampton County and 150 snow geese in Lehigh County had died from the disease.

And late last month, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed bird flu had been found among a domestic poultry flock in Lehigh County.