H5N1 Bird Flu in 2026: What NJ Families Should Know

Medically reviewed by Sukrut Dwivedi, DO, FACP, FIDSA and Tejal Mehta, MD, ID Care
Last reviewed: August 5, 2026

The question is understandable: headlines about H5N1 avian influenza have moved from distant farms to local counties, and the virus has now been confirmed in wild birds, domestic poultry, and cats across New Jersey. But here is the reassuring reality—there have been no human cases reported in New Jersey as of the state’s most recent update, and the public health risk to most families remains low.

This article walks you through what H5N1 actually means for New Jersey households, who is truly at risk, how the virus spreads, and the straightforward steps you can take to protect your family and pets.

H5N1 Bird Flu in New Jersey: Current Status and Low Risk to Humans

As of the state’s most recent update, H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in wild birds across multiple New Jersey counties and in domestic poultry. The state has also documented a case in a domestic cat. Despite this animal activity, there are no reported cases of human infection of H5N1 in New Jersey.

Nationally, the picture is similarly measured. According to CDC surveillance data, there have been 71 confirmed human cases and two deaths in the United States since 2024, as of May 2026—nearly all among farm workers with direct, prolonged contact with infected dairy cattle or poultry. This is not a flu pandemic, and there is no evidence of person-to-person spread.

Which Animals Have Tested Positive in New Jersey?

• Wild birds: Multiple species across multiple New Jersey counties, including waterfowl and songbirds
• Domestic poultry: Backyard and other non-commercial flocks in Burlington, Ocean, and Monmouth counties. New Jersey has reported no detections in commercial poultry farms or live bird markets.
• Cats: New Jersey has confirmed a single H5N1 detection in a domestic cat, in Burlington County
• Dairy herds: New Jersey’s dairy herds have tested free of H5N1, earning the state an ‘Unaffected’ status

How H5N1 Spreads to Humans—and Who Is Actually at Risk

Human infection has nearly always followed direct, unprotected contact with infected animals—touching sick or dead birds, their droppings, respiratory secretions, or contaminated surfaces. The virus does not spread through the air between people, and it is not transmitted by being outdoors near birds or through properly cooked poultry and eggs. Walking past a bird feeder, visiting a park where geese congregate, or living near a farm does not constitute meaningful exposure. The CDC states that people rarely get bird flu, and when they do, it follows close, unprotected exposure to infected birds or other animals. For the overwhelming majority of New Jersey families—those who do not work with livestock, keep backyard poultry, or handle wild birds—the daily risk is very low.

What Counts as ‘Direct Contact’?

Direct contact means any of the following without protective equipment:

• Handling a sick or dead bird, including picking it up, moving it, or disposing of it
• Touching surfaces contaminated with bird saliva, mucus, or feces (cages, feeders, nesting boxes, water dishes)
• Cleaning out coops or enclosures housing infected poultry
• Working with infected dairy cattle or handling unpasteurized milk from infected herds
• Being splashed by water, feathers, or droppings while culling or processing infected birds

Casual proximity—walking past a goose at the park, standing near a chicken coop at a farm visit, or seeing a dead bird from a distance—does not qualify as direct contact and carries negligible risk.

Symptoms in Humans to Watch For

If you have had direct contact with sick birds or livestock, watch for these symptoms within 10 days:

• Fever or chills
• Cough or sore throat
• Muscle aches or fatigue
• Eye redness, irritation, or discharge (conjunctivitis)
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

These symptoms overlap with seasonal flu, but the exposure history is what matters. If you develop flu-like illness after animal contact, mention that history to your doctor—it changes the clinical evaluation and testing approach.

Expert Perspective: What Infectious-Disease Physicians Are Monitoring in New Jersey

Dr. Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA, is the co-founder and president of ID Care and president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In announcing his presidency, IDSA highlighted his commitment to providing ‘clear, compassionate and science-backed guidance’ to help patients make informed health choices—a principle that applies directly to emerging infections like H5N1. Dr. Nahass is also regularly cited in national coverage of infectious disease threats.

Public health authorities characterize the current risk level for New Jersey families as warranting measured vigilance, not alarm. They are actively monitoring several key indicators:

• Genetic changes in the virus: Specifically, mutations that could increase the virus’s ability to bind to human respiratory receptors
• Clusters suggesting human-to-human transmission: Any pattern of cases not explained by direct animal contact
• Infection rates in high-exposure populations: Farm workers, poultry handlers, and veterinarians remain the sentinel groups

The threat level would change materially if sustained human-to-human transmission were documented, or if the virus acquired mutations allowing efficient spread between people. Neither has occurred. What we are witnessing now is an animal outbreak with rare spillover into humans who have direct animal exposure—not a human pandemic.

Current CDC guidance holds that the existing recommendations—avoid sick animals, practice standard hygiene, keep cats indoors—are proportional to the actual risk. Overreaction (avoiding all outdoor activities, refusing to eat poultry) is not supported by the epidemiology. Underreaction (ignoring a sick backyard chicken or letting your cat hunt wild birds) is where the real, preventable risk lies.

Protecting Your Pets: The Cat-Specific Risk New Jersey Families Should Know

New Jersey has confirmed a single H5N1 detection in a domestic cat, in Burlington County. Cats are more vulnerable to avian influenza than the people who own them, which makes a few precautions worthwhile. Most feline cases have occurred after cats consumed infected wild birds, raw poultry, or unpasteurized milk from infected dairy cattle.

Why Cats Are Vulnerable to H5N1

Cats have receptors in their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts that allow avian influenza viruses to replicate more efficiently than in many other mammals. When a cat catches and eats an infected bird—or consumes contaminated raw meat or milk—the virus can cause severe, rapid-onset illness. Symptoms in infected cats include sudden lethargy, loss of appetite, neurological signs (disorientation, seizures, ataxia), respiratory distress, and in some cases, death within 24 to 48 hours.

Practical Steps to Keep Your Cat Safe

• Keep cats indoors: Indoor-only cats have no exposure to wild birds and substantially lower infection risk
• Never feed raw or undercooked meat: This includes raw chicken, raw beef, and any raw poultry products
• Avoid unpasteurized milk: Do not give your cat raw milk or raw dairy products from any source
• Wash hands and change clothes: If you work with poultry, livestock, or wild birds, wash thoroughly and change before touching your cat
• Monitor for sudden illness: If your cat shows abrupt lethargy, respiratory distress, or neurological symptoms—especially after outdoor exposure—call your veterinarian immediately and mention possible bird contact

The risk to cat owners themselves remains low. Cats infected with H5N1 can shed virus, but there are no documented cases of cat-to-human transmission in the United States. Standard hygiene—handwashing after handling your cat, avoiding contact with a visibly ill cat’s saliva or feces—provides ample protection. The greater concern is protecting your cat from the virus in the first place.

Everyday Prevention for New Jersey Families

Most prevention steps for H5N1 overlap with practices you likely already follow for food safety and hygiene. A few targeted additions address the specific risks families face in New Jersey counties where the virus is circulating in wild birds and poultry.

• Do not touch sick or dead wild birds: Teach children this rule explicitly. If you find a dead bird, do not pick it up with bare hands
• Never consume raw milk: Unpasteurized milk from any source—cow, goat, or other livestock—can harbor H5N1 if the herd is infected. This includes giving raw milk to pets
• Cook poultry and eggs thoroughly: Poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165°F; cook eggs until both yolk and white are firm. Proper cooking kills the virus
• Practice standard food-safety hygiene: Wash hands after handling raw meat, clean cutting boards and utensils, and keep raw poultry separate from other foods
• Use gloves and a mask if handling a dead bird is unavoidable: Double-bag the bird, dispose in your regular trash, and wash hands thoroughly afterward

What to Do If You Find a Sick or Dead Bird

If you encounter a sick or dead wild bird on your property or in a public area, follow these steps:

• Do not touch the bird with bare hands
• Keep children and pets away from the area
• Report wild birds using the NJDEP Wild Bird Disease Reporting Form, or call NJ Fish & Wildlife at 1-877-WARNDEP
• If you must move the bird for safety reasons, wear disposable gloves, use a plastic bag as a barrier, double-bag the carcass, and dispose of it in your regular trash
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after any contact with the area

Backyard Flock Owners: Extra Precautions

If you keep chickens, ducks, or other domestic poultry in New Jersey, you are in a higher-risk category and should follow USDA biosecurity guidance to protect backyard flocks from avian influenza:

• Monitor your flock daily for signs of illness: sudden deaths, respiratory distress, drop in egg production, or neurological symptoms
• Use dedicated clothing and footwear that you wear only when working with your birds, and wash or disinfect after each use
• Prevent contact with wild birds: Keep feeders and water sources inside coops or covered areas; wild waterfowl and migratory birds are the primary transmission route
• Report illness immediately: If you suspect avian influenza in your flock, contact the NJ Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400
• Wash hands thoroughly after any contact with your birds, their feed, or their housing

Backyard flock owners should also consider the risk to their cats if they have both. Keep cats away from the coop, and do not allow them to hunt wild birds in the same area where your poultry range.

When to Contact Your Doctor—and How to Report Animal Cases in NJ

Most New Jersey families will never need medical evaluation for H5N1 exposure. But if you fall into a high-risk category—poultry worker, backyard-flock owner, wildlife rehabilitator, or someone who has handled sick or dead birds—and you develop flu-like symptoms within 10 days, contact your doctor and mention the exposure history.

Watch for the symptoms listed under ‘Symptoms in Humans to Watch For’ above. Your doctor may order testing for influenza A and, if indicated, specific H5 subtyping. Early identification allows for antiviral treatment if needed and helps public health officials track any emerging patterns of human infection.

If you observe sick or dead birds or poultry, report them promptly:

• Wild birds: Report wild birds using the NJDEP Wild Bird Disease Reporting Form, or call NJ Fish & Wildlife at 1-877-WARNDEP
• Domestic poultry (backyard or commercial flocks): Call the NJ Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400

Reporting helps the state track the geographic spread of H5N1 and implement containment measures to protect both animal and public health.

Patient FAQ

Can I get bird flu from eating chicken or eggs?

No. Properly cooked poultry (165°F internal temperature) and fully cooked eggs (firm yolk and white) do not transmit H5N1. The virus is killed by normal cooking temperatures. The only food-related risk is consuming raw or undercooked poultry, raw eggs, or unpasteurized milk from infected animals.

Is it safe to go to parks or playgrounds where wild birds are present?

Yes. Casual proximity to wild birds—walking past geese at a park, playing on a playground near birds, or watching ducks at a pond—poses no meaningful risk. Transmission has nearly always followed direct contact with an infected bird’s bodily fluids. Standard hygiene (washing hands after outdoor play, not touching bird droppings) is sufficient.

What should I do if my cat catches a bird?

Remove the bird carcass immediately using gloves or a plastic bag, double-bag it, and dispose of it in your trash. Wash your hands thoroughly. Monitor your cat for signs of illness over the next 10 days—lethargy, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, or neurological symptoms—and call your veterinarian if any appear. The best prevention is keeping your cat indoors so hunting does not occur.

Are children at higher risk for H5N1 than adults?

No. Children and adults face the same low risk in the absence of direct animal contact. The virus does not spread person-to-person, and it is not more severe in children. The main concern with children is ensuring they understand not to touch sick or dead birds, since young children may be more likely to pick up an animal out of curiosity.

Contact ID Care for Expert Infectious Disease Care

If you or a family member has had direct contact with sick birds or livestock and develops flu-like symptoms, contact ID Care for an infectious disease evaluation. Our 50+ board-certified infectious disease specialists — including co-founder and president Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America — monitor emerging infections like H5N1 and provide expert diagnostic care across 10 offices in New Jersey. Call 908-281-0610 or request an appointment online.

ID Care has more than 50 highly skilled infectious disease physicians, a broad medical support staff of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and a commitment to patient-centric empathetic care. Our mission is to lead in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Make us your source for excellent infectious disease care: