With the usual cold and flu season upon us, health officials are monitoring influenza, RSV, COVID-19, and avian influenza (bird flu, H5N1).
While the virus is spreading among animals, U.S. health agencies deem the risk to the general public low. The CDC reports 55 confirmed human cases in the U.S., nearly all linked to contact with infected poultry or cattle. There’s no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
Currently, there’s minimal cause for concern for the average person. (Avoid raw milk and contact with dead or sick animals.) However, understanding bird flu symptoms is helpful.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
Many U.S. cases involved conjunctivitis (eye redness, discomfort, and discharge), possibly due to the virus’s ability to affect the eyes, particularly in those working at eye-level with infected animals.
Bird flu also presents respiratory and flu-like symptoms: cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat, body aches, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pneumonia. Some U.S. cases showed respiratory symptoms.
How can you tell the difference between bird flu and regular flu?
Bird flu and seasonal flu share similarities. However, flu-like symptoms are far more likely to indicate regular flu or another common winter illness. The CDC confirms no evidence of bird flu spreading within the general U.S. population.
Diagnosis involves testing samples from the nose, throat, or eye, typically performed for individuals with symptoms and recent animal exposure.
Is bird flu serious?
U.S. cases have been mild, with no hospitalizations. However, bird flu can be severe; a Canadian teenager, for example, was hospitalized in critical condition.
Past outbreaks resulted in over 900 human H5N1 cases across 24 countries (January 2003 – November 2024), with roughly half fatal. These figures reflect past outbreaks. The virus’s lethality if it were to achieve widespread human-to-human transmission remains uncertain.
Are bird flu vaccines available?
Some companies produce bird flu vaccines, and the U.S. government has taken steps to ensure rapid vaccine availability if needed.
These vaccines aren’t currently available to the public. Prioritize getting your regular flu vaccine; while ineffective against bird flu, it protects against more common seasonal viruses.