Health officials are increasingly concerned about the recent bird flu outbreak and its spread to mammals like cows and seals.

Despite the disease infecting two people in the United States so far, Dr. Lena Wen, former Baltimore health commissioner and professor of public health at George Washington University, says the threat to humans at this point is low.

“The situation is something that we have to monitor very closely,” she said on WYPR’s Midday Monday. “Although we also have to keep in mind that we are really nowhere near a declaration of pandemic. We have no cases of human-to-human transmission in this outbreak.”

Wen said officials may be more concerned if the disease starts spreading to pigs because the are more genetically similar to humans.

That doesn’t mean that all humans aren’t at risk. Those who work closely with birds or have backyard coops need to take extra precautions. Washing hands and equipment after coming in contact is advised.

Wen said people should also stay away from wild birds and refrain from going need any diseased or dead birds.

More than 90 million birds have been infected with the disease.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is taking steps to protect the state’s food supply and residents as the disease continues to spread.

“Maryland specifically put a hold order on movement from dairy cattle from states that have confirmed outbreaks in dairy cattle,” said Jessica Hackett, the director of communications for MDA.

So far nine states have seen cattle infected with bird flu. But other mammals are catching it as well. At least 24,000 South American sea lions have died from the disease.

Hackett says Maryland has not seen any human cases and the last outbreak in animals was in February.

Maryland has had nearly two million birds culled for possible infection this year.

Symptoms of the disease are similar to the seasonal flu with high fever, sweating, chills and lower back pain.

The Food and Drug Administration reported one in five samples of grocery store milk tested positive for genetic traces of bird flu.

The FDA says the milk is safe to drink as long as it’s pasteurized. As a precaution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will start testing ground beef for the disease.

MDA says it is working closely with federal agencies and the Maryland Department of Health to stay up to date on the latest and follow any new guidelines to prevent the spread of bird flu.