CONTACT: Dr. Kimberly Henderson | 202-724-7481 – [email protected]

(Washington, DC) The National Park Service issued a press release today confirming the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in mallard ducklings at the DC Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the HPAI identified at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool poses a low risk to the general public and to date there has been only one documented human case of HPAI in the US.

Visitors to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool should avoid handling live or dead birds or coming into contact with their droppings. Pets should be kept leashed and not allowed to interact with live or dead birds or other wildlife. If you see a dead bird or one that appears to be sick in the area around the Reflecting Pool, please contact the DC Health Animal Care and Control Facility at (202) 576-6664. This hotline is available 24-hours a day. If you or a pet come into direct contact with a dead or sick bird, or their droppings, you should seek medical attention.

The DC Animal Care and Control Facility is located at 1201 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002 and offers emergency services hours 24-hours a day.

For more information, please see the National Parks and Recreation Services press release at nps.gov/aboutus/news.