U.S. reports first human death from H5N1 bird flu in Louisiana. Experts urge caution for those in contact with birds as the virus spreads among poultry and wildlife.
A U.S. patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu has died, the Louisiana Department of Health said on Monday, marking the country's first reported human death from the virus.
The patient, who has not been identified, was hospitalized with the virus on Dec. 18 after exposure to a combination of backyard chickens and wild birds, Louisiana health officials had said.
The patient was over age 65 and had underlying medical conditions, the officials said.
Nearly 70 people in the U.S. have contracted bird flu since April, most of them farmworkers, as the virus has circulated among poultry flocks and dairy herds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Federal and state officials have said the risk to the general public remains low.
The ongoing bird flu outbreak, which began in poultry in 2022, has killed nearly 130 million wild and domestic poultry and has sickened 917 dairy herds, according to the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The CDC has said genomic data of the virus taken from the Louisiana person showed it belongs to the D1.1 genotype related to other D1.1 viruses recently detected in wild birds and poultry in the U.S., as well as in recent human cases in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state. It is different from the B3.13 genotype circulating in U.S. dairy cows.
"While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk," the Louisiana state health department said in a statement.
The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"This one's a little different because this person was infected with a strain of influenza that was spread from wild birds to their domestic birds and then to themselves." said Clinical Assistant Professor Sarah R. Michaels of
Department of Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease at Tulane University in New Orleans, explaining that cold and flu season is in full swing right now. "The risk is pretty localized, although it does seem to be growing across the U.S.".
Most U.S. bird flu cases reported this year have been mild, with symptoms including conjunctivitis, or pink eye.
"Keep those bird feeders up to feed the birds in your neighborhood." said Michaels, when asked by Reuters about the risk involved in having bird feeders for wild birds in a person's neighborhood. "But if you have a backyard flock, try and keep that distance from the flock to not encourage that interaction between your birds that you're either growing because of agriculture or your backyard poultry and those wild birds that are passing through."
Worldwide, more than 950 human cases of bird flu have been reported to the World Health Organization, and about half have resulted in death.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 19th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
South Korean police will deploy 14,000 officers in Seoul on the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment ruling, anticipating protests and security threats. The Constitutional Court is set to deliver its verdict soon, with heightened measures in place.
China and Kazakhstan have agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas, including trade, security, and Belt and Road projects. At a high-level meeting in Beijing, officials emphasised stronger political ties, economic collaboration, and cultural exchanges to advance their strategic partnership.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday to discuss the progress made by U.S. President Donald Trump in ceasefire talks with Russia, with both leaders emphasising the importance of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
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