People who work with livestock are at the greatest risk of bird flu. To stop the disease's spread, it's critical that they participate in testing programs and wear masks and gloves when advised. “For those workers, do your best to cooperate with and trust your public health officials,” Landon said.

Most of his health picks are uninterested in using most of the tools that can limit the spread of infectious disease.

Avian influenza is continuing to plague poultry and dairy farming operations, and with the virus spreading across the country with no sign of stopping, some infectious disease experts in the Lehigh Valley say they are looking out for bird flu in the community.

Funding was provided to institute a program to collect data on emergency room admissions, the sale and use of prescriptions, and over-the-counter sales of cold and flu medications. This allowed the CDC to warn local health departments,

While health officials say the virus poses a low risk to the general public, stopping the spread is a daunting task.

Kavya Beheraj/Axios Virginia is facing the worst bird flu spike since the nationwide outbreak started in 2022, USDA data shows. Why it matters: It's wreaking havoc on farmers, exacerbating egg shortages and exposing gaps in government disease surveillance.