Bird flu cases are rising in the Bay Area. Here’s what you should know.

In November, an Alameda County child contracted a mysterious case of bird flu. It was the first known case of the avian illness in the Bay Area. It was also the only case identified in a child in the country — that is, until earlier this month, when a child in San Francisco was found to have contracted the illness.

For most people who get sick with the bird flu, the symptoms are mild. But there are growing concerns over the rate of spread, lack of attention from federal authorities, and potential mutations. The January 2024 death of a Louisiana man marked the first fatality in the U.S. from the illness, and a Canadian teenager faced life-threatening complications from their case late last year. For now, the impact of the bird flu on the general population has been felt largely through the disease’s knock-on effects, such as increases in the price of eggs and other adjacent agricultural products. 

As the headlines mount, so do the questions. We’ve assembled a sort of FAQ, which we’ll update as the news warrants. 

What is bird flu?

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a disease that primarily affects and is spread among birds. The current strain of bird flu that has raised concern is known, in epidemiological parlance, as highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1). H5N1 bird flu has been detected in wild birds and poultry since January 2022, and the first cases in dairy cows were found in August 2024. 

Does it affect only birds?

No. Bird flu can be passed between birds and other animals as well as between birds and people. At present, it is not believed that bird flu can be passed from an infected person to another person. Birds infected with this flu can spread it through their mucus, saliva, and feces. In the last year, bird flu cases among dairy cows and other cattle have raised significant concern, especially among people working in the agricultural sector.

Why is it a big deal that cows are getting sick, too?

The jump to mammals is worrying because it gives the virus the chance to evolve a strain that spreads among humans.   

How are people contracting bird flu?

Most people who are catching bird flu are working directly with infected animals. Farmworkers and those who work with wild animals are at the highest risk. Most cases in California have occurred due to direct contact with sick cattle. 

What are signs and symptoms of bird flu?

Bird flu usually manifests with mild symptoms in people, but more severe flu symptoms can arise. Mild symptoms include: fever, chills, pink eye, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Some people may also experience diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. The primary symptom associated with H5N1 is the pink eye. Other moderate, but less common symptoms include a high fever, shortness of breath, altered consciousness, and seizures. 

In domestic animals like cats and dogs, symptoms may include fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, red eyes, discharge from eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurologic issues like seizures.  

Can people pass bird flu to each other?

To date, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission. However, scientists have warned of the potential for the disease to mutate to effectively spread between people. 

Can my pets get bird flu?

Yes. Dogs and more commonly cats can contract bird flu. Domesticated or pet birds and poultry can contract bird flu from wild birds. To keep your pets safe, keep them away from wild birds, poultry, and cattle; try to prevent them from eating dead animals or birds; do not give them raw meat, poultry, or milk. 

I’m seeing signs in the Bay Area warning about “sick and/or injured birds.” Has bird flu been found in wild birds here?

Yes. A Richmond-based dog owner group posted signs at Point Isabel urging visitors to keep their dogs at least 50 feet away from “sick and/or injured birds,” leading some folks to wonder if it had anything to do with the avian flu. A representative for the park district confirmed that some birds from Point Isabel were sent to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s laboratory for testing. (The park district emphasizes that the public should not touch sick or dead birds, and encourages park visitors to notify staff if they encounter sick or dead birds.) While it’s not clear if any of the Point Isabel birds had the avian flu, the department told us a handful of birds collected from the East Bay in recent months have tested positive. 

Between Oct. 1 and Jan. 23, the lab has tested “about 34 wild birds” collected from Contra Costa and Alameda counties,” according to Krysta Rogers, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Of those, nine were positive for avian influenza; as of last week, tests were pending for another 17 birds, and more birds received from the counties were being processed.

Statewide, between CDFW and partner agencies, a total of 343 wild birds have been tested, with 115 coming back with preliminary detection of avian influenza. Rogers cautioned not to draw any conclusions about the prevalence of the disease from these numbers. “We are actively targeting birds for surveillance that are presenting with suspicious clinical signs and/or are species known to be at higher risk of infection,” she wrote in an email.   

Berkeley animal control had handled 16 live wild birds between October 2024 and earlier this month and disposed of 19 bird carcasses. City spokesperson Maitée Rossoukhi said these numbers are “consistent with what we typically see at this time of year” and “none of these birds showed signs of being neurologically compromised.”

How many people in California have contracted bird flu?

In this current outbreak, as of January 15, 2025, there have been 38 confirmed human cases; 36 of those are known to have come from cattle exposure, while two — both involving children in the Bay Area — have unknown sources of exposure. At the moment there is only one other instance of unknown exposure in the United States.

How worried should I be?

As of right now, the Centers for Disease Control say that avian flu presents a low risk to the public, but they say that “CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.” Out of the 67 cases of bird flu in humans, one death has been reported. The vast majority of cases in the U.S. are from California, with Colorado in second with 10 cases. 

But scientists, ascribing the lack of urgency about the virus to the fact that most of the cases have been found among agricultural workers, worry that the stage is being set for a pandemic in the near future, KFF Health News has reported. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over bird flu in December 2024, citing the state’s leading role in milk production in the nation. The declaration demands that agencies and the public follow proper guidelines, utilize full resources and follow state regulations, among other things, to mitigate and address the outbreak. 

What can I do to lower my risk of bird flu?

Depending on your job, location, and external risk factors, there are various steps you can take to protect yourself from contracting avian flu. If you work directly with animals that may be infected with bird flu, you should wear proper personal protective equipment; avoid touching sick or dead wild birds, poultry, or other animals; avoid touching surfaces that may have come into contact with the mucus, saliva, or feces of potentially sick animals; avoid hugging or kissing backyard or hobbyist flocks; avoid consuming raw products that may contain bird flu. Getting a seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you from bird flu, but it will reduce the risk of seasonal and avian flu co-infection. According to the CDC, the U.S. government is developing bird flu vaccines should they become necessary.  

Can I get bird flu from drinking raw milk?

Yes. The California Public Health Department states that people who work around raw milk products are at an increased risk for contracting bird flu. Touching raw milk that is contaminated with bird flu and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose can lead to infection. Drinking raw milk can also lead to infection. Officials found bird flu in raw milk being sold at Bay Area grocery stores. The California Public Health Department urges people not to consume or touch raw milk products. Consuming raw milk products has also been correlated with other serious food-borne illnesses such as E. coli and listeria. 

What about raw eggs?

The California Public Health Department advises cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

Is this why there are no eggs in the store?

Yes, since the start of this most recent outbreak in 2022, egg prices have steadily risen. That’s largely because of a steep drop in the number of egg-laying chickens. About 10 percent of the country’s egg-laying population of chickens has been culled in the past three months.

Berkeleyside environment reporter Iris Kwok contributed to this story. If you have any questions you’d like answered, email [email protected].