Where has bird flu been reported in the US? See map of 70 cases
The number of H5 bird flu cases among people in the U.S. is now at 70, with the most cases being in California, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among the cases in California, 36 of them stemmed from exposure to dairy herds or cattle, while the cause of two of them are unknown.
Other states with reported cases include Washington state, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC.
So far, one person has died due to the bird flu, and there have been no cases where the bird flu spread from person-to-person, the CDC said. The agency added that "the current public health risk is low," as of Tuesday.
Bird flu case map
The map below shows bird flu reported since 2024, per CDC data.
Wyoming woman with prior conditions becomes 3rd US hospitalization
Among the more recent cases around the country, a woman in southeast Wyoming was documented as the first human case of the bird flu in the state and became the third confirmed hospitalization in the U.S., reported the Wyoming Department of Health.
A CDC laboratory confirmed the woman’s test result on Feb. 14. She is hospitalized in another state and has prior health conditions that could’ve made her more vulnerable to illness, Wyoming health officials said.
“She was likely exposed to the virus through direct contact with an infected poultry flock at her home,” the Wyoming Department of Health said in its news release.
A person in Ohio was recently discharged after being hospitalized with a bird flu infection, the CDC said.
Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said in the news release that the case is “not something we believe requires a high level of concern among most Wyoming residents.”
According to Harrist, the bird flu has been infecting wild birds in Wyoming for a while now, and infections among dairy cattle have also been reported in the past.
Most of those confirmed cases in the U.S. involve those who work closely with poultry or cattle. Once they became sick, they experienced mild symptoms, Harrist said.
“Unfortunately, this patient’s experience has been much more serious,” Harrist said in the release.
Symptoms of the bird flu in birds and humans
Bird flu has caused outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC.
Most wild birds infected with bird flu viruses are asymptomatic, meaning they do not show signs or symptoms, the CDC said.
Bird flu symptoms in humans include:
- Mild symptoms - Eye redness and irritation, mild fever, cough and fatigue.
- Moderate to severe disease symptoms - High fever, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing and seizures.
- Complications - Bird flu can lead to complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, multi-organ failure (respiratory and kidney failure), sepsis or septic shock.
How can I protect myself and my family?
Harrist, from the Wyoming Department of Health, offered some tips to keep yourself safe amid concerns about contracting the bird flu.
Tips include:
- Avoid eating uncooked or undercooked food.
- Cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
- Avoid direct contact with wild birds.
- Avoid contact with wild or domestic birds that appear ill or have died.
- If contact with the sick or dead birds is necessary, use personal protection clothing and items.
- Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with cattle and materials potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with bird flu.
- Do not eat or drink raw milk or products made with raw milk.
Health officials in Wyoming said those who notice symptoms in birds can contact a veterinarian or report the cases to the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307-777-8270.
Sick or dead wild birds can also be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at 307-745-5865 or online at www.tinyurl.com/BirdFluWY.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.