Current strains of bird flu are “poorly suited for pandemic potential,” said Dr. Shira Doron, a Tufts Medicine infectious disease expert.

The nation's first human death due to the bird flu occurred this month, the latest development in a global outbreak that, while mostly limited to birds and mammals such as minks, polar bears, cows, and domestic cats—has also sickened 67 Americans and has public health officials watching closely for signs that a human pandemic is in the offing.

The first person in the U.S. just died from a strain of the virus in Louisiana, but there’s still some simple ways to stay safe.