Bird Flu 101: What To Know About The Current Outbreak

Bird flu isn’t just a concern for farmers—it’s something we all should understand. While rare, recent human cases of bird flu have raised questions about what it is and how it spreads. Let’s walk through some of the essentials to help you stay informed and prepared.

What is bird flu?

Bird flu is a type of viral infection. It is widespread in wild birds and poultry but does have the potential to infect other animals and humans. Most human cases of bird flu happened after direct or close contact with infected animals, like birds or cattle, or surfaces contaminated by sick birds or animals. At this point, there have been no confirmed cases of bird flu spreading from one person to another in the United States.

The main strain of bird flu to be aware of right now is H5N1. The first human case of H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in April 2024. By December 2024, 66 total human cases had been confirmed in 10 states, including Wisconsin.

Symptoms of bird flu can range from mild to severe and may include eye redness or irritation, fever, cough, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases complications like pneumonia or organ failure.

The current risk to public health is low, but we are monitoring the situation closely, and so should you.

Reading reliable information like this blog post is a great step to take. Other things to do include:

• Get your seasonal flu shot. The seasonal flu shot protects against the other strains of influenza that are currently circulating in our community. Getting that shot reduces your risk of getting sick this winter and reduces the chances of getting the H5N1 bird flu and seasonal flu at the same time. Why is that important? Having both types of the flu at the same time could allow the virus to change in ways that enable it to spread from human to human.
• Do not consume raw milk or raw milk products. Cases of bird flu continue to be identified in cattle. The pasteurization process kills harmful germs by heating the milk to a specific temperature.
• Avoid contact with wild birds and sick or dead animals. Avoiding contact with wild birds whenever possible limits your risk of exposure.

If you have a job or recreational exposure to wild birds, poultry, or dairy cows, you have a greater risk of being exposed to bird flu.

If you work at or own a farm, it’s essential you have the information you need to stay safe during this ongoing outbreak of H5N1 bird flu. Here’s some things to keep in mind:

• Keep germs away. Disinfect shoes, clothes, hands, crates, vehicles—any tools or equipment that’s around the birds. Also, isolating birds returning from shows for 30 days to observe for signs of illness before returning them to the rest of the flock.
• Limit visitors. Restrict traffic onto and off the property to necessary visits only.
• Avoid wild birds and pests. Keep wild birds and rodents out of poultry houses and coops. Ensure feed bins are secured to prevent any wildlife contamination.
• Have a plan. If you own a commercial farm, you should have a site-specific biosecurity plan in place. Anyone who comes to your property should also know the plan.
• Visit the CDC’s website for more recommendations. The CDC has specific recommendations for workers and employers.

Public Health is your source of trusted information.

We will continue to monitor any new cases of H5N1 bird flu in Wisconsin and will provide updates when we can. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our blog, to get new posts sent directly to your inbox and follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @publichealthmdc.