NYS Department of Health Avian Influenza (Avian Flu, Bird Flu, H5N1)

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Updated 6 hours ago

Can people get avian influenza?


Yes, people can get avian influenza, but the risk to the general public is low.

Rarely, avian influenza has passed to humans who had direct contact with infected birds and mammals, including dairy cows. Since 2022, several people have had confirmed avian influenza infections in the United States, including workers on dairy and poultry farms who worked with infected animals. Most of these people have not required hospitalization and have made full recoveries. People who become ill with avian influenza can have symptoms that range from mild to severe, including death, but severe disease is uncommon.

To date, there is no evidence that avian influenza has spread from person to person in the United States.

If you work with dairy cattle or poultry, you may be at higher risk of being exposed to avian influenza. To learn more about reducing your risk, visit our pages for dairy workers and people who handle poultry.
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Complete Page: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/avian/index.htm

 

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​Revised: February 2025

New York State’s Response to Avian Influenza

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• What to Know
• Dairy Producers and Workers
• People who Handle Poultry
• Clinicians and Veterinarians
• New York State's Response

• The Department of Health is working closely with local, state, and national partners to monitor the national outbreak of avian influenza.
• The Department of Health, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSAGM), and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) are working together to protect the health of people and animals across New York State.
• Multiple state agencies are capable of quickly detecting the virus that causes avian influenza and are vigilantly testing both people and animals for the virus as indicated.

What is the Department of Health doing to prevent the spread of avian influenza?

While the risk of avian influenza to people is currently considered low, the Department of Health is using multiple strategies to prevent transmission of avian influenza in our state and rapidly detect and respond to any cases should they occur. We are working closely with other agencies including the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSAGM), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stay up to date on the latest outbreak data. If a person is exposed to an animal with avian influenza in New York, the Department of Health works with local health departments to monitor that person for illness and test for avian influenza if symptoms develop.

Prevention Measures

Since the beginning of the outbreak in the United States, the Department of Health strengthened and expanded partnerships to protect the health and safety of animals and farm workers in New York State. the Department of Health has created flyers and messages to raise awareness among farmworkers, farm owners, and healthcare providers. We have developed tools and guidance for local health departments to ensure a swift, efficient response in the case of human exposure and/or infection in New York State. We are working closely with local health departments to update state and local pandemic plans for avian influenza based on the most current knowledge and recommendations for avian influenza.

Detection and Response Measures

New York State agencies are ready to quickly respond to a human case of avian influenza. We closely monitor seasonal influenza data, and we are enhancing this routine surveillance to detect potential cases of avian influenza. A few examples of these efforts include online training for local health department staff on how to collect samples, placing test kits at Department of Health offices throughout the state, swiftly transporting samples from field locations to Wadsworth Center for testing, storing antiviral medications, and keeping open lines of communication with other state agencies and local partners to make testing and treatment more available. The Department of Health is in constant communication with the CDC and is able to adapt to the changing outbreak situation.

What is biosurveillance?

Biosurveillance is a systematic process to detect and identify bacteria, fungi, viruses, or other microbial pathogens (germs) in the environment or a particular location that may cause disease in people, animals, or plants. Once identified, public health officials can take action to prevent disease spread. Read on to learn how biosurveillance is used to monitor for avian influenza in people in animals.

What is New York State doing to detect avian influenza?

+Testing sick birds

+Testing dairy cattle and milk

+Testing people

+Testing wastewater

​https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/avian/status.htm