The Daily Freeman reports that a laboratory confirmed cases of bird flu in Dutchess and Ulster County, according to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County. A pheasant flock in Dutchess County and a backyard flock in Ulster County tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. Both flocks were killed to limit the spread of the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that HPAI does not present an immediate public health concern to humans. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have ever been detected in the United States. Anyone who suspects HPAI in their flock should call the State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, at (607) 253-3900, or email poultryhealth@cornell.edu or call the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) toll-free at (866) 536-7593. Read more about this story in The Daily Freeman.