BALLWIN, MO – October 13, 2026 (STL.News) The St. Louis County Department of Public Health is urging residents to avoid contact with wild birds after two ducks tested positive for avian influenza at an apartment complex in Ballwin, raising concerns about possible exposure among residents, pets, and other wildlife.
The confirmed infections were reported Friday, October 9, at the Retreat at Seven Trails apartment complex in west St. Louis County. According to county health officials, the infected ducks belonged to a semi-domesticated flock that includes wild ducks and potentially geese.
The discovery prompted public health officials to work with apartment management to notify residents, post warning signs, and discourage activities that could increase exposure to infected birds or contaminated areas.
Although health authorities emphasize that the risk of bird flu to the general public remains low, the confirmed infections demonstrate why residents should exercise caution around wild waterfowl, particularly ducks and geese gathering near residential neighborhoods, ponds and public parks.
The warning extends beyond the apartment complex because wild birds regularly move between residential areas, lakes, parks, and other natural habitats throughout the St. Louis metropolitan region.
Health Officials Warn Residents to Avoid Wild Birds
The St. Louis County Department of Public Health is advising residents not to approach, touch, or feed ducks, geese, or other birds associated with the affected flock.
Dr. Kanika Cunningham, the department director, emphasized that avoiding unnecessary contact is an important precaution, even though the overall risk to humans remains low.
The department is also encouraging residents to keep pets away from wild birds and their droppings, wash their hands after potential exposure, and avoid handling sick or dead birds.
County officials have been working with management at the Retreat at Seven Trails apartment complex to reduce opportunities for residents and animals to encounter potentially infected wildlife.
Warning signs have been posted in the surrounding area. Additional signs at nearby Vlassis Park discourage visitors from feeding waterfowl.
These precautions are especially relevant in neighborhoods where ducks and geese have become accustomed to residents feeding them.
Feeding wild birds can encourage them to gather in concentrated areas, increasing contact between birds and people and potentially exposing pets and people to contaminated droppings.
Officials have not established that the two confirmed infections represent a widespread outbreak throughout St. Louis County.
However, because the affected flock includes birds that may move freely between locations, authorities encourage residents to follow precautions rather than assume that healthy-looking birds are necessarily free of infection.
What Is Bird Flu and How Does It Spread?
Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, is an infectious disease caused by influenza A viruses that primarily affect birds.
Some strains can cause severe illness and death in domestic poultry and wild birds. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, often abbreviated HPAI, has been detected in waterfowl and other wildlife across Missouri.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has been monitoring reports of sick and dead ducks, geese, eagles, hawks, and other birds as part of its statewide surveillance efforts.
Bird flu spreads among birds through infected bodily fluids and waste, including saliva, nasal secretions and fecal droppings.
Transmission can occur when susceptible birds encounter infected animals or contaminated environments.
The virus can also spread between wildlife populations and domestic poultry, raising concerns for farms, backyard chicken owners, and others who raise birds.
Migratory waterfowl play an important role in the disease’s ecology because they travel long distances and may encounter other bird populations along North American migration routes.
Missouri’s lakes, rivers, wetlands, and other waterways provide habitat for migrating ducks and geese.
The St. Louis region, situated near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, contains numerous locations where waterfowl gather during migration and throughout the year.
However, detecting two infected ducks in Ballwin does not mean the surrounding waterways or parks are contaminated.
Can Bird Flu Infect Humans?
Human infections with avian influenza are uncommon, but they can occur.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most human infections linked to the current bird flu situation involve exposure to infected animals or contaminated environments.
People who handle infected poultry, work around affected livestock, or come into close contact with infected wild birds may face greater exposure risks.
The CDC continues to monitor avian influenza activity nationally through public health surveillance systems.
Its October 2 surveillance update reported no indicators of unusual influenza activity in people, including avian influenza A(H5), in the data reviewed through September 26.
That national finding does not eliminate the possibility of isolated human infections or replace the need for local precautions.
The Ballwin announcement concerns confirmed infections in ducks. Local reporting has not identified a human infection connected to the affected flock.
Health officials are nevertheless advising residents to recognize possible symptoms and report relevant exposures to medical professionals.
Symptoms Residents Should Watch For
Bird flu symptoms in humans can resemble those associated with seasonal influenza.
Possible symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, and other respiratory complaints.
One important symptom is conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, which can cause redness, irritation, swelling or inflammation of the eyes.
Some human bird flu infections have involved eye symptoms without severe respiratory illness.
More serious infections can result in high fever, breathing difficulties, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress.
In severe cases, neurological complications, including seizures or brain inflammation, may occur.
Health authorities emphasize that these complications are not typical of every infection.
Residents who develop flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation after direct contact with potentially infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated surfaces should promptly contact a health care provider.
Patients should explain the possible exposure so medical professionals can determine whether additional evaluation or testing is appropriate.
Anyone experiencing severe breathing difficulties or another medical emergency should seek emergency medical attention.
The CDC recommends monitoring potentially exposed individuals for symptoms for 10 days after their last exposure.
Veterinarians Urge Pet Owners to Take Precautions
The county’s warning also extends to household pets, particularly dogs and cats that spend time outdoors.
Although infections in household pets are relatively uncommon, animals can be exposed when they encounter infected birds, carcasses, or contaminated materials.
Dr. Angela Mayo, director of veterinary services at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri, told First Alert 4 that infections in domesticated mammals are rare but possible.
Animals that spend considerable time around wild birds or livestock may have more opportunities for exposure.
Pet owners should prevent dogs from chasing ducks and geese, investigating dead birds or entering areas where large amounts of bird droppings have accumulated.
Also prevent cats from hunting wild birds, particularly in areas where avian influenza has been detected.
The county has warned that pets may carry contaminated droppings on their paws or fur into yards and homes.
Supervise outdoor activities and avoid potentially contaminated areas to reduce that risk.
Owners who notice unusual respiratory symptoms, significant lethargy, neurological abnormalities or other signs of illness in pets following possible bird exposure should contact a veterinarian.
These symptoms do not automatically indicate bird flu, but possible exposure is important information for veterinary professionals.
St. Louis Zoo Monitoring Bird Flu Situation
The Saint Louis Zoo has also addressed the recent detections.
According to First Alert 4’s October 12 report, the zoo said it has established protocols based on the locations of confirmed avian influenza cases.
The zoo said closing its bird habitats was not necessary at the time of the report, but it would adjust precautions if conditions warranted.
The response illustrates how animal-care institutions must balance disease prevention with routine operations.
Facilities housing birds may use protective measures intended to reduce opportunities for contact with potentially infected wildlife.
The zoo’s statement should not be interpreted as confirmation of bird flu among animals at the facility. The local report identified no such infection.
Missouri Continues Monitoring Avian Influenza
The Missouri Department of Conservation has documented highly pathogenic avian influenza among wild birds and continues to monitor wildlife health across the state.
The agency encourages residents to report unusual deaths or signs of illness involving waterfowl, raptors and other large birds.
Potential warning signs in birds include tremors, unusual head movements, lethargy, loss of coordination, difficulty flying or walking, and an inability to stand normally.
Birds displaying these symptoms should not be approached or handled.
Wildlife officials advise the public to avoid touching dead or dying birds and to keep pets away from carcasses.
The department maintains an online wildlife health reporting system that allows residents to submit information about suspected disease events.
People who keep chickens, turkeys, ducks, or other domestic poultry should pay particular attention to changes in their birds’ health.
Suspected illness among domestic birds can be reported to the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Division at 573-751-3377.
The Missouri Department of Conservation also recommends precautions for hunters handling harvested waterfowl, including appropriate carcass disposal and cleaning equipment used in potentially contaminated environments.
What Residents Should Do if They Find a Sick or Dead Bird
Residents encountering a bird that appears seriously ill or has died unexpectedly should avoid direct contact.
A sick bird may appear unable to fly, have difficulty standing, or display unusual neurological movements.
Rather than attempting to rescue or relocate the animal without appropriate training and protective equipment, residents should contact the relevant wildlife or animal health authorities.
The Missouri Department of Conservation provides guidance and a reporting system for suspected avian influenza involving wild birds.
Residents should also prevent children and pets from approaching the animal.
If accidental contact occurs, thoroughly wash exposed skin with soap and water and avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure should contact a medical professional and describe the circumstances.
These precautions aim to reduce unnecessary exposure without causing alarm during routine outdoor activities.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has also distinguished waterfowl and raptors from common backyard songbirds. The agency has reported that it has not detected avian influenza in Missouri songbirds and generally does not recommend removing ordinary backyard bird feeders solely because bird flu is present, unless domestic poultry are also kept on the property.
That distinction matters because the immediate St. Louis County warning concerns waterfowl linked to a specific affected flock.
Public Health Warning Comes as Wildlife Surveillance Continues
The confirmed infections in Ballwin underscore the importance of coordination between public health officials, wildlife agencies, veterinarians, and property managers.
Residential communities with ponds or other water features often attract ducks and geese, sometimes leading to close interactions between wildlife and people.
Those interactions may seem harmless, particularly when birds regularly approach people expecting food.
However, avian influenza adds more reasons to maintain distance and discourage feeding.
Ballwin’s public health response has focused on reducing potential exposure through warnings, resident education, and pet precautions.
The department has not announced a broad public park closure related to the two confirmed infections.
The Saint Louis Zoo has likewise indicated that its bird habitats can remain open under existing precautions, subject to reassessment.
For most St. Louis County residents, the recommended response is straightforward: avoid direct contact with potentially infected birds, keep pets away from waterfowl and their droppings, and report suspicious wildlife illness through appropriate channels.
Bird Flu Risk Remains Low, but Precautions Matter
The two confirmed bird flu cases at the Retreat at Seven Trails apartment complex do not mean residents throughout St. Louis County face an immediate public health emergency.
They do, however, demonstrate that avian influenza remains a concern for wildlife health and requires continued awareness.
Public health authorities have consistently emphasized that human infection is uncommon and that simple preventive measures can reduce exposure.
For families visiting parks, walking pets or living near ponds where ducks and geese gather, avoiding direct contact with waterfowl is a reasonable precaution.
Residents should also watch for unusual bird behavior, avoid handling sick or dead wildlife, and seek medical advice if symptoms develop after potential exposure.
As wildlife surveillance continues across Missouri, St. Louis County health officials are encouraging residents to take the warnings seriously while recognizing that the overall risk to the general population remains low.
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