Gov. Braun collaborates on Avian Flu effort in Indiana

"Hoosiers can rest assured that state government is monitoring the Avian Flu situation,” Braun said in his statement. “At my direction, there is regular collaboration between the Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH), Indiana Department of Agriculture, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Indiana Department of Health (IDOH)

Braun is receiving regular interagency briefings.

"The Indiana Department of Agriculture, working with the Board of Animal Health, is engaging with poultry producers, whether large scale or hobby farms, to ensure close communication and cooperation,” the governor explained. “DNR is monitoring the situation as it impacts recreation, hunting, and sports. IDOH is responsible for monitoring potential human exposure to the Avian Flu.”

Braun said he is grateful for the cooperation and leadership of Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith; Cabinet Secretary Suzie Jaworowski, Office of Energy and Natural Resources; and Cabinet Secretary Gloria Sachdev, Office of Health and Family Services, as they coordinate these efforts.

While the health risk to the public is classified as low, Hoosiers and poultry owners who notice sick or dead birds should not touch the bird and instead contact their veterinarian or the Healthy Birds Hotline, 866-536-7593.

Bird flu: Key facts you should know

IU Health released the follow fact sheet Wednesday (Feb. 12) on bird flu:

Bird flu is a virus that has been sweeping across the globe since the most recent outbreak began in 2020. Though it’s rare for humans to get bird flu, to date, the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) has confirmed 67 human cases of bird flu in the United States, and one death in Louisiana.

WATCH: Stay up to date on bird flu news with video updates from the American Medical Association (AMA).

While these numbers are concerning, it’s important to remember that bird flu does not normally infect people. Learn more about avian flu and what to do to keep yourself safe.

What is bird flu?

Avian influenza A, or bird flu, is a virus that typically spreads among birds. The subtype of this virus currently spreading is called H5N1. It is typically found in wild birds–like duck, geese and swans–and poultry, like chickens and turkeys used for food production. Many common songbirds or other birds you see in your yard–like sparrows, robins, cardinals, crows, blue jays, or pigeons–don’t typically carry the kind of bird flu that’s dangerous to poultry.

Water birds are the most likely to spread bird flu to other birds. They transmit the virus through their saliva, mucous or feces. Some wild birds can get infected with avian influenza without even getting sick, but other birds–including poultry–can get very sick and die from bird flu.

In March 2024, scientists discovered that dairy cows had become infected with bird flu. This outbreak spread to herds in 16 states and raised concerns about humans contracting the virus through cow’s milk.

How is the bird flu transmitted to humans?

It’s not common for people to get bird flu, but humans can become infected. This happens when a person touches infected animals or a contaminated surface. Humans can also catch bird flu by eating undercooked or uncooked poultry, eggs or raw milk. This is why it’s very important to eat these foods fully cooked or pasteurized because the heating process kills bacteria and viruses like bird flu.

“Just as we’ve had swine flu and other bird flus in the past, this virus requires close exposure to an animal that’s harboring it,” said Dr. Douglas Webb, medical director for infection prevention at IU Health. “For all the wild geese, ducks, poultry and herds of cattle that can carry bird flu, we’ve seen very, very few human cases. It’s just not that common for people to get, and it really requires some unusual exposure to get it.”

Most people who have been infected with H5N1 in this latest outbreak have been farmworkers. People who work or live around birds and dairy cows are more likely to be exposed to the virus. This includes:

People who work on poultry, dairy or other livestock farms or processing facilities
Veterinary staff
People who keep backyard flocks of birds
Hunters
People who work at zoos or animal rehabilitation centers

It’s important for people who work around these animals to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, disposable gloves and gowns, disposable shoe covers and safety goggles or face shields. If you see a dead bird, do not touch it and be sure to report concerns about sick or dead birds to public health officials.

If you get sick and are hospitalized, doctors at IU Health test all patients with severe illness for flu. If your flu isn’t one of the typical seasonal flu varieties, such as H1N1 and H3N2, the State Department of Health will automatically analyze your results to check for any unusual subtypes of the flu. To date, they haven’t detected any bird flu in humans nor any person-to-person transmission of the current H5N1 strain.

“We’ve been testing these viruses for the last few months and haven’t seen any cases of bird flu,” Dr. Webb said. “Most clinicians will never see a case of bird flu in a human. We do not anticipate there’ll be a mutation that will allow avian influenza to spread from person to person and then take off like COVID did.”

What are symptoms of bird flu?

Symptoms of bird flu can range from no symptoms at all to mild symptoms or severe complications. The person who recently died from bird flu was 65 years old and had underlying medical conditions when he contracted the avian virus from exposure to backyard chickens and wild birds.

Symptoms of bird flu include:

Eye irritation or redness
Fever of 100 degrees or more
Coughing
Sore throat
Body or muscle aches, headaches
Stuffy or runny nose
Fatigue

There are tests to detect bird flu. If you may have been exposed to H5N1 and are experiencing symptoms, reach out to your doctor to be tested. Bird flu can be treated using flu antiviral medications.

There’s currently no commercially available vaccine for bird flu, and the seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the avian influenza virus.

Can dogs get bird flu?

Although H5N1 is most common in birds, it can spread to mammals, as it has done with cows. Animals like dogs, cats, foxes, bears and seals can eat infected birds or be exposed to infected bird droppings. In past outbreaks, bird flu has been detected in cats and dogs.

If your pet has been outside and possibly exposed to bird flu virus, monitor them for signs of flu-like symptoms. Though it’s not very likely that you would become infected with avian influenza from your pet, a veterinarian did contract bird flu from a cat at a New York City animal shelter in 2016.

Keep your pets safe from bird flu by keeping cats indoors, keep outdoor pets away from wild birds and do not feed your pets raw poultry or milk.

You can monitor the ongoing bird flu situation in Indiana through the State Board of Animal Health. While it’s unlikely that you will contract the current form of bird flu, it’s important to follow safety protocols if you spend time around birds and take measures to keep your pets safe.