What risks do Fairfax County residents face due to the Asian bird flu?
The current risk to persons in this area from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia is low. The strain of H5N1 virus found in Asia has not been found in the United States. There have been no human cases of H5N1 flu in the United States. It is possible that travelers returning from affected countries in Asia could be infected, though the risk of this type of transmission to the United States is relatively small because the rate of illness in affected countries is still very low. Since February 2004, medical and public health personnel have been watching closely to find any such cases.
