--- title: ‘Severe’ Bird Flu in the U.S.: Latest Updates description: Here’s what to know about the United States’ first confirmed severe case of H5N1 avian influenza—and how to protect yourself. canonical: https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-12-19T08:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-19T17:07:13.000Z article:section: Health og:title: ‘Severe’ Bird Flu in the U.S.: Latest Updates og:description: Here’s what to know about the United States’ first confirmed severe case of H5N1 avian influenza—and how to protect yourself. og:url: https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0701fc2b51fea0b5/698b24df1868923bb66cfbda/cdc.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: CDC og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: ‘Severe’ Bird Flu in the U.S.: Latest Updates twitter:description: Here’s what to know about the United States’ first confirmed severe case of H5N1 avian influenza—and how to protect yourself. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0701fc2b51fea0b5/698b24df1868923bb66cfbda/cdc.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What to Know About Bird Flu in the U.S. After CDC Announces First ‘Severe’ Human Case > Sponsored content. 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Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=2c6bc4c9-28bf-4298-a8ec-490718e370ed&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You [Watch (HLS stream): Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/h7ByYR2R.m3u8) (4:43)  _Published 2025-01-16. You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. So, what is it? Do you need to worry, and can you protect yourself? TIME Senior Correspondent Alice Park explains this latest outbreak of bird flu - also called H5N1 Avian Influenza - after officials reported the first death from virus in the U.S._  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jan 19, 2026 5:07 PM UTCPublished: Dec 19, 2024 8:00 AM UTC You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. So, what is it? Do you need to worry, and can you protect yourself? TIME Senior Correspondent Alice Park explains this latest outbreak of bird flu - also called H5N1 Avian Influenza - after officials reported the first death from virus in the U.S.  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jan 19, 2026 5:07 PM UTCPublished: Dec 19, 2024 8:00 AM UTC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [confirmed](https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/m1218-h5n1-flu.html) on Wednesday the United States’ first “severe” human case of H5N1 avian influenza—or bird flu, a zoonotic infection which has stoked fears of [becoming the next global pandemic](https://time.com/6976402/bird-flu-next-pandemic-testing/). The severe case involves a resident of southwestern Louisiana who was reported as [presumptively positive](https://ldh.la.gov/news/H5N1-2024) for infection last Friday. The infected patient “is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to H5N1 infection and is currently hospitalized in critical condition,” according to Emma Herrock, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health, who said that the patient is over the age of 65 and has underlying medical conditions but that further updates on their condition will not be given at this time due to patient confidentiality. **Read More:** [_What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu?_](https://time.com/7198616/bird-flu-symptoms-h5n1-conjunctivitis/) It is the 61st case of human H5N1 bird flu infection in the country since April this year. But the CDC said the overall risk of the pathogen to the public remains low, and no related deaths have been reported in the U.S. so far. Here’s what to know. ## What caused the severe infection? The CDC, in its Dec. 18 announcement, said that while an investigation is underway, the patient was found to have links to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, making it the first known case of infection in the U.S. to have those origins. Of the [60 other cases](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html), 58 were linked to commercial agriculture—37 from dairy herds and 21 from poultry farms and culling. The sources of exposure for the two other U.S. human cases remain unknown. ## What’s the current state of H5N1 human infections? Of the human infections recorded in the U.S. this year, 34, or more than half, were in California, with all but one exposed to cattle. In response, Governor Gavin Newsom [on Dec. 18](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/12/18/governor-newsom-takes-proactive-action-to-strengthen-robust-state-response-to-bird-flu/) declared a state of emergency. The CDC said that such a “severe” infection as was found in Louisiana was expected given cases in other countries. In Vietnam, a patient who [died in March](https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2024-DON51) after a diagnosis of “severe pneumonia, severe sepsis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome” was found with an H5N1 infection, according to the World Health Organization. The U.S. appears to be leading in H5N1 infections across the world this year, according to [CDC data on bird flu cases reported to the WHO](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/php/avian-flu-summary/chart-epi-curve-ah5n1.html). **Read More:** [_The Bird Flu Virus Is One Mutation Away from Getting More Dangerous_](https://time.com/7200088/can-bird-flu-infect-humans/) According to Mark Mulligan, Director of the Vaccine Center and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, the general population faces “no immediate threat.” Those who are in contact with birds and animals—especially those who work on dairy farms and cattle farms—are at greatest risk. Currently, no person to person spread of the virus has been detected. “Right now we have to let the experts do surveillance, do sequencing of the virus to see if we're seeing any changes that portend any significant difference,” says Mulligan. ## **What are the symptoms?** According to the CDC, symptoms of the bird flu can vary. Many of the cases in the U.S. included symptoms resembling [conjunctivitis-like eye issues](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-11152024.html), including eye redness, discomfort, and discharge. Some cases also included both respiratory classic flu-like symptoms, including cough, headache, runny nose, fever, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pneumonia, according to [the CDC.](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/virus-transmission/avian-in-humans.html) **Read More:** [_What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu?_](https://time.com/7198616/bird-flu-symptoms-h5n1-conjunctivitis/) ## How can infection be prevented? The CDC issued a number of protective measures, including [largely avoiding direct contact](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/index.html) with wild birds and other suspected infected animals as well as their bodily excretions. People who work with cattle and poultry on affected farms have a [greater risk of infection](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/farm-workers.html), and are thus advised to monitor any possible symptoms of infection. The CDC also recommends that those who work with poultry or other animals use the correct personal protective equipment (PPE)—including coveralls, boots, and more—which should be[ provided by employers.](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/worker-protection-ppe.html) Virologist and professor at John Hopkins University Andy Pekosz says that the severe case in Louisiana provides a reminder of an easy way to stay safe: stay away from dead animals. “You see a dead animal, if you're exposed to dead animals, stay away,” he says. “In many ways, it is the least likely way someone can get exposed, but in some ways, it's also one of the more preventable ways.” Properly cooked poultry and poultry products are [safe](https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/index.html), and the CDC says that while unpasteurized (raw) milk from infected cows can pose risks to humans, it’s not yet known if avian influenza viruses can be transmitted through its consumption. Both Mulligan and Pekosz say it is also important to get the seasonal human influenza vaccine. They say if there were to be a case of a person with simultaneous bird flu and human flu infection, it could lead to a “reassortment” and thus a virus that could be more easily spread. “We know that has happened before, because the 1957 influenza pandemic and the 1968 influenza pandemic both were a result of a human and a bird influenza virus exchanging genetic material,” Pekosz says. “We know that the flu vaccines are not perfect, but they do a good job of reducing infection.” The CDC currently has a [program](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/vaccination-farm-workers.html) to offer seasonal vaccines to farm workers in high risk scenarios in certain states. ## Transcript [00:00] You've probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. [00:05] New cases of the bird flu are raising alarms among health officials [00:08] America's first severe human case of h5n1 bird flu. [00:14] So what is it? Do you need to worry and can you protect yourself? [00:18] Bird flu is also called h5n1 Avian Influenza. [00:23] This recent outbreak began in 2024, [00:26] and what has experts concerned is that it's not only infected millions of birds, [00:31] but the virus has also spread to dairy cattle and other mammals, [00:36] including goats, foxes, and house cats. [00:39] And increasingly, it's been diagnosed in humans. [00:42] A US man over age 65 with other health conditions [00:46] became the first to die with h5n1 infection in early 2025. [00:52] Breaking tonight the nation's first human death from the bird flu just reported. [00:56] Down from Louisiana here. The Department of Health There. [00:59] Listen to this. The first person has died from bird flu. [01:03] Genetic analysis of the virus from that man suggests that [01:07] h5n1 mutated in his body after he became infected. [01:12] The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [01:15] has said these mutations are concerning, [01:17] but not a cause for alarm. [01:19] Yet, symptoms of h5n1 infection can resemble those of more common illnesses. [01:26] Many of the people in the US who have caught bird flu are [01:29] farm workers who have come into direct contact with infected cattle or poultry. [01:34] They have developed relatively mild symptoms, [01:37] including conjunctivitis like eye issues, [01:40] eye redness, and discharge from the eyes. [01:43] Dairy workers who milk infected cows are especially at risk, [01:47] since the virus can enter their eyes from milk that sprays into their face. [01:51] Bird flu can also cause respiratory and classic flu like symptoms, [01:56] including cough, runny nose, [01:58] fever, sore throat, body aches, headaches, [02:02] fatigue, shortness of breath, [02:04] and even pneumonia, the CDC says. [02:06] As bird flu continues to spread, [02:09] work on a vaccine is underway to protect the public in the event of a pandemic. [02:14] Several companies, including Maderna, [02:17] Pfizer, and Glaxo Smith Kline, [02:20] which is working with Kvak are developing an MRNA vaccine, [02:25] using the same technology that was used in the COVID 19 shots. [02:29] In July, the US government awarded [02:31] Maderna $176 million to develop its updated MRNA h5n vaccine. [02:39] All of these MRNA vaccine candidates are in [02:42] early stages of testing in people for safety and efficacy. [02:47] In 2024, scientists led by a team at the CDC reported that [02:52] an MRNA based h5n1 vaccine helped [02:56] ferrets generate strong antibody responses against the virus. [03:00] Vaccinated animals survived a lethal dose of [03:03] the virus while unvaccinated ferrets died from their infection. [03:08] While creating an MRNA vaccine can be done quickly, [03:12] testing the shot in clinical trials will take longer. [03:15] So in the meantime, several existing vaccines, [03:19] which don't use MRNA technology, [03:21] but do target previous strains of h5n1 exist in the national stockpile. [03:27] Health experts expect they would still provide some protection against severe disease. [03:32] Because the virus is spreading among poultry and dairy cattle, [03:36] the outbreaks are leading to egg rationing and shortages and have led to higher prices. [03:42] While milk prices are not expected to go up, [03:45] the US FDA now tests for the virus in [03:48] commercial milk and other dairy products on a regular basis. [03:51] The agency also advises staying away from raw milk, [03:55] which is not pasteurized, [03:57] a process that can kill the virus. [03:59] Some experts believe dairy workers and others who have [04:03] close contact with animals likely to be infected, [04:06] such as poultry and cattle, [04:07] should be vaccinated to protect them from infection. [04:11] The CDC says that the risk of bird flu is still low for the general public. [04:16] And currently there are no recommendations for anyone [04:19] in the US to get vaccinated against h5n1. [04:23] As with all viruses, [04:25] experts caution that everyone wash their hands carefully, [04:28] avoid touching their face, [04:30] and wear a mask if they may come in contact with infected animals. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/"},"headline":"What to Know About Bird Flu in the U.S. After CDC Announces First ‘Severe’ Human Case","datePublished":"2024-12-19T08:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-01-19T17:07:13.000Z","description":"The CDC confirmed the United States’ first severe case of H5N1 avian influenza.","url":"https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/","keywords":["Bird Flu","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0701fc2b51fea0b5/698b24df1868923bb66cfbda/cdc.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rebecca Schneid","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0701fc2b51fea0b5/698b24df1868923bb66cfbda/cdc.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"CDC","caption":"The Center for Disease Control headquarters is in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 6, 2022.","creditText":"Nathan Posner—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/bird-flu/","name":"Bird Flu"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7203290/bird-flu-united-states-severe-case-h5n1-explainer/","name":"What to Know About Bird Flu in the U.S. After CDC Announces First ‘Severe’ Human Case"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Bird Flu: What's At Risk For You","description":"You’ve probably been hearing a lot about bird flu in the news lately. 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