Bird flu has led to a wide variety of symptoms during recent outbreaks, including common flu symptoms like cough and vomiting. Many have also had conjunctivitis or pink eye as their only symptom, which experts suspect is from contaminated milk from cows infected by bird flu being splashed onto workers.

The first human case of bird flu in Ohio was reported in a farm worker from Mercer County. There have been 68 human cases of bird flu in 11 states since January 1, 2024, including one death in Louisiana. The overall risk of contracting bird flu remains low, but those in close contact with infected poultry should take precautions.