The number of bird flu cases in Central Massachusetts is relatively low, compared to a swath of the state that runs from Greater Boston to Southeastern Massachusetts. That message was delivered Wednesday during a virtual update from state health officials on the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus.

H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread amid commercial and backyard poultry, and additional cases have been reported in domestic cats

Second human case of H5N1 bird flu has been deteced in the UK. It is the second symptomatic human case of H5N1 bird flu recorded in the UK, after the first was detected in 2022, the UK Health Security Agency said.

H5N1 first human death was reported in USA. Since then, health authorities have been monitoring and cases and shave sounded alarm regarding its mutation rate.

Massachusetts officials announced Wednesday that bird flu is now considered to be “widespread” in the state and urged the public to avoid handling birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick.

British health authorities said on Monday they had detected a case of the H5N1 bird flu in a person in central England but added that the risk to the wider public remained "very low".

The leading message coming from Bay State officials this week was that people and pets should stay away from sick or dead wild birds. And if they see any, they should report their observations to MassWildlife.

If you’re battling a fever, aching muscles and a pounding headache, your first thought may be that you have caught the flu. But for one person in the West Midlands, their flu-like symptoms turned out to be avian influenza.