Bird Flu

What is bird flu?

H5N1, or bird flu, is a type of flu virus. Right now, it is mainly a concern for wild birds (mostly ducks and geese), poultry, cattle and some mammals, including cats.

Some people have gotten bird flu from direct contact with infected animals. In Oregon, one person has gotten bird flu as of Nov. 20, 2025. They were working at a commercial poultry farm when there was an outbreak. The person had mild symptoms and recovered fully.

Bird flu is not currently passing from one person to another. But because viruses can mutate, public health agencies are watching it closely in case that changes. If things change, public health agencies may change their recommendations on the best ways to keep yourself and your family safe. 

Bird flu and food safety

The main way people get bird flu is from contact with sick animals, not through food. The same food safety practices that protect you from other illnesses also kill the bird flu virus.

• Cook poultry, meats and eggs thoroughly (learn more at FoodSafety.gov)
• Drink only pasteurized milk
• Wash hands and surfaces before and after handling meat and eggs.

Keeping pets safe from bird flu

Bird flu can infect pets, including cats and likely other animals. Cats can become seriously ill and die from bird flu.

To protect your pets:

• Don't feed pets raw or undercooked meat, raw milk, or raw pet food. This includes uncooked or freeze-dried food and treats.
• Don't let them near wild waterfowl (like ducks and geese), or near sick or dead poultry

If you’re worried your cat or pet may have bird flu, contact a veterinarian. If needed, the veterinarian will work with the state to coordinate testing.   

What agencies are doing about bird flu

Multiple government agencies have a role in monitoring bird flu.

They monitor bird flu by:

• Testing poultry and dairy cattle
• Testing farmworkers who have been exposed  
• Monitoring wastewater
• Testing milk and other products from animals who may get infected
• Testing wild waterfowl and other wild animals

In Oregon:

• All hospital laboratories are required to send positive flu tests with atypical features and are requested to send positive flu tests for all hospitalized patients to the Oregon State Public Health laboratory for bird flu testing.
• Oregon is working with Oregon State University to monitor wastewater for bird flu.
• In December 2024, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), with input from Oregon's dairy industry, began a milk testing and monitoring program to help protect farms, farmworkers, and communities from bird flu. Oregon has not had any dairy farms infected with bird flu. 

What to do if you think an animal or human may have bird flu

If you think your chickens (including backyard chickens) or other livestock may have bird flu, contact Oregon Department of Agriculture at 503-986-4711.

If you think your pet may have bird flu, contact your veterinarian.

If you see a dead or sick wild bird, contact Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Call 866-968-2600 and make a report when:

• Multiple wild birds are sick or dying
• The dead or sick bird is a duck, goose, swan or shorebird
• The situation is unusual (a bird is acting sick or appears to die in flight)

If you think that you’ve been in contact with an infected animal and have flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor and call Clackamas County Public Health at 503-655-8411.