(NEXSTAR) – Health officials on Wednesday confirmed the first severe case of bird flu in the U.S., causing a spike in online searches for symptoms of the virus.
There have been more than 60 bird flu infections in people across the country since March, 2024. Nearly all have resulted in mild illness.
On Wednesday, Google searches for bird flu symptoms shot up 500%, with bird flu topping all trending “symptoms” searches, according to the search engine’s data.
“Symptoms of H5N1 bird flu may include fever – or feeling feverish and chills – and respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and tiredness,” according to CDC Epidemiologist Dr. Denisse Vega Ocasio.
Anyone who may have been exposed to bird flu and starts to feel symptoms should immediately contact the state or local health department – or a community health clinic – the CDC advises.
While bird flu cases have been rampant among wild birds, poultry and U.S. dairy cows, among other animals, cases in the U.S. have all been mild, up until a severe case was documented in Louisiana. That case, which was also the first in the U.S. linked to a backyard flock, involved a person over 65 with underlying medical problems who had been in contact with sick and dead birds. As of Wednesday, the individual was hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms, according to a Louisiana official.
Health officials with the CDC reiterated Wednesday that the H5N1 flu still mainly affects animals.
“No person-to-person spread of H5 bird flu has been detected,” the CDC said in a news release. “This case does not change CDC’s overall assessment of the immediate risk to the public’s health from H5N1 bird flu, which remains low.”
While the current risk remains low, government officials across the country are working to make sure it remains that way as they try to minimize the agricultural impact.
California declares a state of emergency
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as cases of the virus were detected in dairy cows on Southern California farms. Previously, the virus had been detected in the state’s Central Valley.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said in a statement.
The virus has been detected in 865 dairy herds in 16 states, with nearly 650 of them in California. Raw milk from infected cattle was recalled late last month after the virus was found in samples sold in California stores.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed the deaths of two cats from bird flu infections after drinking the recalled raw milk.
Flu experts said the trajectory of the virus in people remains unclear, but they urged people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.
“We may see more cases of severe disease in the U.S. since cases seem to be growing more frequent,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
