H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation

What to know

  • H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.
  • While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.
  • CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5 bird flu activity in people.
H5N1 Bird Flu How is it Spreading?

Current situation

Cumulative surveillance (since 2022)

Humans‎

Total Reported Human Cases in the United States: 17 (since 2022)


6 following exposure to dairy cows (reported between 4/1/2022 and 10/3/2024) | Full Report


10 following exposure to poultry (reported between 4/28/2022 and 7/25/2024) | Full Report


1 with no immediately known animal exposure (reported on 9/6/2024) | Full Report


States with Reported Case(s): 5


*10 of the 17 H5 human cases reported in the US have been confirmed as H5N1.

H5 Monitoring in People‎

CDC influenza (flu) surveillance systems show no indicators of unusual influenza activity in people, including avian influenza A(H5).

National flu surveillance (since February 25, 2024)

Targeted H5 surveillance (since March 24, 2024)

H5 Bird Flu Detections in USA

What CDC is doing

Protective Actions for People