Bird flu has been spreading in dairy cows in the US—and the scale is likely to be far worse than it looks. In addition, 14 human cases have been reported in the US since March. Both are worrying developments, say virologists, who fear that the country’s meager response to the virus is putting the entire world at risk of another pandemic.

With cold and flu season approaching, it’s worth knowing about another virus out there—albeit extremely rare: bird flu. Like the regular flu, bird flu virus symptoms include fever, cough and a sore throat.

Several labs will work with federal health authorities to develop a test for avian influenza, as the number of human cases rise across the country.