Public health officials have just reported the first known “severe” case of bird flu in the United States. There are now 61 confirmed cases across eight states. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a person had been hospitalized with a “severe case” of bird flu.

The United States has confirmed its first known severe human infection of H5N1 bird flu, in a person in Louisiana believed to have contracted the virus through contact with sick or dead birds in a backyard flock.

Here’s what to know about the United States’ first confirmed severe case of H5N1 avian influenza—and how to protect yourself.