The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging health care workers to accelerate bird flu testing for patients hospitalized with flu symptoms.

The CDC recommends that hospitalized flu patients be tested for bird flu within 24 hours to timely identify avian influenza A (H5N1) cases. While the public risk remains low, faster detection aids in tracing infections and providing swift medical response.

Is it seasonal flu or bird flu? CDC prompts hospitals to fast-track subtype testing of sick patients to tell the difference.