The bird flu starts out with a fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches, Local 4 reported.

Though the bird flu virus has not made its way to the United States, the concern is there, according to the station's reports.

Dr. Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan School of Public Health explained that the virus spreads when humans have close contact with infected birds, as with the cases in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Turkey and Iraq.

If the bird flu virus became a pandemic, would you and your family be ready?

Tips on how to prepare your family in an emergency situation:

Have non-perishable food items to feed your whole family, for several days.

In addition to food, have at least two quarts of drinking water per person, per day.

Have prescription medications with you.

Soap, hand sanitizers and toilet paper are important necessities to have available.

A manual can opener can be a useful tool if an emergency occurred.

The federal government has put together a Pandemic Planning Checklist for families. For more information visit the Pandemic Flu Web site at www.pandemicflu.gov. To get a copy of the checklist, go to www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab3.html.