BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) -- Avian flu has made its way to Western North Carolina.

A recently deceased waterfowl at Osceola Lake in Henderson County is the latest case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) - bird flu - in the mountains. The other preliminary positives came from Lake Julian and Lake Louise in Buncombe County.

"It's certainly something that raises our concerns," Henderson County Health Department Medical Director Diana Curran told News 13. "We wanted to make sure the public is aware."

The concern comes mostly for wildlife. Free-flying species like ducks and geese migrate and carry bird flu, a disease that can be deadly to poultry.

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"Our poultry industries have concerns," said NC Wildlife Resources Commission Game Birds and Wildlife Health Supervisor Chris Turner. "This could affect chickens, turkeys and other waterfowl, as well. It certainly makes you raise your eyebrows when you see something that's not normal. This strain of highly pathogenic, H5N1, has raised concerns."

Humans are advised to thoroughly cook chickens and eggs to kill any potential viruses. However, someone can contract the condition by coming in direct contact with a sick or deceased bird or its droppings.

"If you're handling carcass, it never hurts to mask up, wear eye protection, wash your clothes well and wash your hands," Turner advised. "If you have a carcass in your yard that you're unsure about and you want to dispose of it, it's always a good idea to dig a hole where it is. No contact with it other than the shovel."

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"Monitor yourself if you should come down with any symptoms with ten days of something happening," Curran added. "That would be a time to get checked out. Those are folks who might come in contact with this. If they come down with the flu, then they need to let their healthcare provider know."

This influx in bird flu has led to lakes and other areas placing advisories to discourage activity around waterfowl. However, even with the recent outbreak, the risk to humans isn't high.

"It's not transmitted human to human," Curran said. "There have only been, as of yesterday when I looked, 68 cases in the United States. Is this something I need to worry about? The answer is no."

Wildlife experts do not expect the trend to last long.

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"As we go into the spring, I expect to see a decline in the number of reports we get and mortalities we might see," Turner said. "Fall, winter, that's the time for bird migration. That is typically when we have the potential to see infected birds move around."

Other deceased birds in the region are undergoing testing right now.