There have been dozens of confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S. this year. Experts discuss the symptoms, risks and how to prevent getting sick.

Another cause for concern: flu season is underway in the U.S., and as seasonal influenza virus goes around, “humans, ourselves, could be a mixing vessel,” Davis says. If a person were simultaneously infected with bird flu and seasonal flu, the two viruses could theoretically combine to create a more transmissible strain.

Canadian health officials have confirmed bird flu in a British Columbia teen. The Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday that tests showed the virus involved was related to a bird flu outbreak in poultry in the province.

Based on current evidence, the risk of avian influenza infection for the public remains low. The risk of bird flu infection is higher for those who have unprotected exposure to infected animals, PHAC said.

In what is believed to be Canada's first human case of bird flu, a teenager is in a British Columbia children's hospital in critical condition with a presumptive case of the virus, the CBC reports. Authorities say the unnamed teen developed symptoms Nov.