Can humans catch bird flu? See what the symptoms are and NHS advice
It is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds and in rare cases, it can affect humans.
The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) has recently confirmed a person in the West Midlands has contracted the virus after 'close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds".
The NHS says there are symptoms of bird flu to look out for (Image: Canva)
Bird flu can affect humans but it depends on the strain of the virus, the NHS has said.
There are many different types of bird flu viruses and many of them don't infect humans. However, there are four strains that have caused concern in recent years:
H5N1 (since 1997)
H7N9 (since 2013)
H5N6 (since 2014)
H5N8 (since 2016)
The NHS says although H5N1, H7N9 and H5N6 don't easily infect people and aren't usually spread by human contact, there have been several people infected around the world, resulting in a number of deaths.
The H5N1 virus is the most prevalent strain in circulation at the moment.
How did we detect the latest case of #BirdFlu? Human cases are rare, but our surveillance systems ensure we're prepared. 🐦 Our blog post covers everything you need to know about how we're monitoring outbreaks and protecting humans. 👇https://t.co/MziebYJkmb
— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) January 27, 2025
For the first time in February 2021, H5N8 was found to have infected a small number of people in Russia.
The virus can be spread by close contact with an infected bird that is dead or alive.
This includes:
touching infected birds
touching droppings or bedding
killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking
If you are visiting an area or foreign country that has recently had an outbreak of bird flu, you can follow these steps to prevent your chances of getting the virus.
The NHS says:
wash your hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling food, in particular raw poultry
use different utensils for cooked and raw meat
make sure meat is cooked until steaming hot
avoid contact with live birds and poultry
The main symptoms of bird flu can appear very quickly, reports the NHS, and include:
a very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery
aching muscles
headache
a cough or shortness of breath
Recommended reading:
UKHSA confirms person in England has contracted 'rare' case of bird flu
These are the vitamins you should take to protect yourself for flu season
What is the difference between swine flu and normal flu? When to see a doctor
Other early symptoms may also appear within three to five days after you have been infected, such as diarrhoea, sickness, stomach pain, chest pain, bleeding from the nose and gums and conjunctivitis.
More severe complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome can develop days after initial symptoms.
Use NHS 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or call NHS 111 if you experience any symptoms of bird flu and have visited an area affected by bird flu in the past 10 days.
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