A second bird at Athalassa Park in Nicosia has been reported with H5N1 avian influenza, days after the virus was confirmed in a goose at the park's lake. The latest bird, a duck, died, according to a Cyprus Mail report on the second case published Sept. 30.

Four people who had direct contact with the dead birds, the person who found the first bird and three forestry department officers, are undergoing daily PCR testing at a hospital. Their results had all been negative as of Sept. 30, and they were not in quarantine.

An infectious disease expert said the danger to the public is low. "There is no reason for concern," Petros Karayiannis told the Cyprus News Agency, describing the risk from the two park cases as "very limited."

The Latest Confirmed Facts

Veterinary officials received the first indication of bird flu at the park on Friday, Sept. 25, and confirmed it on Monday, Sept. 28, after laboratory testing, veterinary services officer Dimitris Epaminondas said. Officials advised the public the next day to avoid close contact with birds at the park, after the goose case was announced, and have carried out daily checks of the area since.

The status of the second case should be read with care. Cyprus Mail's morning report on Sept. 30 described the duck case as confirmed by veterinary services, while a follow-up report that afternoon referred to it as a suspected case. No separate official statement resolving that difference had been published as of Sept. 30.

Epaminondas said this strain has been identified in 15 other European countries and that its arrival in Cyprus was expected because the virus travels with migratory birds. He said it was likely the virus had reached the island in the previous year without being noticed and that it will "probably happen every year."

Migration Season and the Wild Bird Connection

The timing reflects autumn migration. Karayiannis said the birds at Athalassa were in an open area and suggested the virus came with wild birds passing through. Migrating birds stop to drink or feed, he explained, and can leave the virus behind in their droppings or secretions.

Officials do not yet know whether the virus is circulating more widely in Cyprus. "This will be seen if we suddenly start seeing more dead birds somewhere else," Karayiannis said.

The pattern is familiar to U.S. readers. The CDC's bird flu situation summary says H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and has caused outbreaks in U.S. poultry and dairy cattle, while the agency rates the current public health risk as low.

Who Faces the Greatest Risk

According to both Cyprus officials, the people at highest risk are not park visitors but poultry workers. Karayiannis said the risk to humans comes less from wild birds than from domestic birds, and infections usually involve people on poultry farms who do not wear protective gear such as gloves, masks, goggles and shoe covers.

He said no human-to-human transmission of the virus found at the park has been recorded and that it has not shown changes that would make it spread more easily to or between people. Humans, he said, have acted as "dead-end hosts."

Among birds, the picture is different. Karayiannis said birds become infected through contact with an infected bird's secretions, which is why a lake where wild and resident waterfowl gather can concentrate risk. Epaminondas said the disease causes high illness rates in birds, with signs that include breathing problems, swollen heads and, in some cases, neurological symptoms such as unsteady walking.

The main priority for veterinary services is keeping the virus out of poultry farms, where a confirmed case would trigger culling. Officials have told farmers to apply the strictest biosecurity measures, including changing clothing. Epaminondas said most farms are enclosed, but free-range egg farms are more exposed. The virus being carried in on the clothing or equipment of owners and workers, he said, "is our main concern at the moment."

Guidance for Visitors and Bird Owners

Epaminondas recommended avoiding the park for about one to two weeks as a precaution, noting that two weeks is generally enough for the virus's transmission cycle to run its course. Karayiannis advised staying away from the lake for "a few more days" but said people who have visited are not in danger. "They are not in danger, because it is an open space," he said.

People should not touch sick or dead birds, and pet owners should keep dogs away from wild birds and their droppings. Veterinary services asked poultry and bird owners to report any increase in illness or deaths among their animals to their district veterinary office immediately. In Europe, the ECDC's avian influenza guidance likewise focuses on avoiding unprotected contact with sick or dead birds.

Anyone who develops fever, cough or eye redness after handling a sick bird should contact a health care provider and mention the exposure. Key unknowns remain: whether more birds on the island are infected, whether the four contacts continue to test negative and whether the virus reaches poultry. Information in this article is current as of Sept. 30.

What Readers Want to Know

What happened at Athalassa Park?

H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in a goose at the park lake in Nicosia on Sept. 28, and a duck that died was reported on Sept. 30 as the second bird case at the park.

Has anyone been infected?

No human infection has been confirmed. Four people who had direct contact with the dead birds tested negative in daily PCR tests as of Sept. 30.

Is it safe to visit the park?

Officials recommend avoiding the park for about one to two weeks as a precaution. An infectious disease expert said people who already visited are not in danger because the area is open.

How did bird flu reach Cyprus?

Officials believe migratory wild birds carried the virus, which has been identified in 15 other European countries.

Who is most at risk?

Poultry workers without protective gear face the highest risk. Experts say the threat to the general public is very limited.

What is the bird flu risk in the United States?

The CDC says H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds and has affected U.S. poultry and dairy cattle, but it rates the current public health risk as low.