Amid concerns about avian flu, officials and wildlife rehabilitators on Cape Cod are monitoring rising cases of dead and sick birds.

That's the way one scientist puts it — referring to how infected wild birds survive long enough to spread it to birds and mammals around the world. And that's a serious risk for human health.

Bird flu risk is low for people and there are no identified New York state human cases, but people should avoid direct contact with wild, sick or dead birds and not consume raw, unpasteurized milk or other raw dairy products, Westchester's health commissioner said Monday, Feb. 3.

More than a dozen birds suspected of bird flu were admitted to the Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in the past week.