Healthcare professionals in New York are being encouraged to perform bird flu tests on patients admitted to hospitals, as concerns regarding the possibility of human transmission continue to rise.

On February 3, the New York State Department of Health alerted physicians to conduct tests for the H5N1 strain in individuals diagnosed with type A influenza ‘within 24 hours of admission.’

Type A influenza includes various strains, such as the one responsible for the swine flu pandemic in 2009 and the H5N1 strain, which is currently spreading among poultry and dairy farms across the United States.

Minnesota has similarly advised physicians to test for H5N1 in type A flu cases ‘as soon as possible, ideally within a 24-hour timeframe.’

Experts emphasize that the alerts reflect increasing worries about the virus’s potential to mutate and transmit between humans.

Concerns regarding an impending flu pandemic have been escalating, coinciding with the worst outbreak the country has experienced in nearly 30 years.

Recent data indicates that 7.75% of patients visiting emergency rooms presented flu-like symptoms in the week ending February 1, marking the highest percentage for this timeframe since the CDC began monitoring in 1997.

This year’s surge in cases is primarily attributed to type A influenza viruses. There are apprehensions that more cases of bird flu could go unnoticed or be misdiagnosed as common flu strains.

The above graph illustrates flu-related ER visits for the current season (red line) in comparison to previous years, highlighting an unprecedented surge.

This graph shows flu-like illness visits to the ER in New York state, indicating cases have surpassed the epidemic threshold.

In response to the detection of bird flu in several boroughs of New York City, the state closed its live poultry markets for thorough cleaning last Friday.

Currently, there have been no reported human cases of the virus in the state.

Flu hospitalizations in New York are at the highest level seen in at least four years, with 3,138 patients admitted during the latest week, which is a 12% increase compared to two weeks prior.

Dr. Aaron Glatt, an epidemiologist at Mount Sinai, described this outbreak as the most severe he has encountered in his career, noting the predominance of flu A cases.

He stated, “According to the CDC, this is potentially the worst flu season we have ever faced.” He echoed this sentiment based on his firsthand observations in the hospital.

The CDC estimates that this year, over 24 million individuals across the U.S. have contracted the flu, with 310,000 hospitalized and 13,000 fatalities reported.

Currently, 45 states, including New York, are experiencing ‘high’ or ‘very high’ flu levels, leading to temporary closures in schools across at least ten states as a precautionary measure.

Annually, type A influenza accounts for over 75% of all flu cases, which includes both the H1N1 (swine flu) strain from 2009 and the H5N1 (bird flu).

This image depicts medical staff working in the ER, highlighting the intensity of the current healthcare crisis.

This map illustrates flu activity levels across the United States, showing that 45 states report either high or very high levels of the virus.

Currently, 68 individuals in the U.S. have tested positive for the H5N1 strain.

Most affected patients have presented with mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis without respiratory issues.

The majority of cases are linked to exposure to domestic or wild birds or livestock.

The CDC notes that there have been no instances of human-to-human transmission thus far, and the risk to the general public remains assessed as ‘low.’

The health alert was disseminated by New York’s Health Alert Network on February 3 to inform healthcare providers of these critical updates.

It stated: ‘CDC now advises that subtyping should be ordered for all A-positive influenza specimens collected from hospitalized patients within 24 hours of admission to facilitate the swift identification of any human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1).’

On January 23, Minnesota issued its advisory requesting the testing of hospitalized patients with type A influenza for bird flu.

Additionally, the CDC released a national alert on January 16, urging states to expedite testing for hospitalized flu patients.

This testing initiative recommends screening for all those with type A strains, particularly those in intensive care, to ensure appropriate medical care and infection control measures — including isolating patients and their contacts.

These updates from Minnesota and New York followed a brief communication delay from the CDC on January 21, linked to an administrative transition.

Upon hospital admission, patients are tested to identify the type of flu, and those testing positive for type A may then undergo confirmatory testing for H5N1.

Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist based in Washington, has highlighted the urgency of this situation, tweeting, ‘The emergence of unclassified type A flu subtypes has prompted New York to issue an immediate alert for bird flu testing.’

Recent data shows a decline in COVID cases amidst a rise in flu instances nationwide.

RSV hospitalization rates across the U.S. are on the decline, as seen in the latest statistics.

Data suggests that norovirus cases in the U.S. are decreasing.

Concerns about potential airborne transmission and the risk of human-to-human spread have heightened, as indicated by the language of the official memo.

Hospitals in at least nine states have reinstated face mask requirements, and schools in parts of Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas have temporarily shut down to mitigate the effects of rising infections.

Experts suggest that the current surge may stem from several factors, including diminished immunity due to COVID-related lockdowns, an ineffective flu vaccine this year, or reduced adherence to preventive measures such as remaining home when ill.

While COVID cases are on the decline in the U.S., exhibiting a test positivity rate of 5.3% as of January 25 — up from 5.8% the previous week and significantly lower than the 13% rate from last winter — respiratory viruses like RSV and norovirus are also showing signs of decline.

This chart illustrates the types of flu cases reported in New York state, revealing a high prevalence of type A influenza that raises concerns about bird flu.

This graph from New York presents the flu case statistics for the current season compared to the past three years.

In states such as Minnesota, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York, hospitals are reintroducing face mask mandates as a precautionary measure against infection.

Healthcare officials assert that mask usage can reduce the transmission of viruses despite some studies indicating minimal impact.

Temporary school closures in some areas, including Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas, aim to limit the spread of these infectious diseases.