A patient in Louisiana has died from severe bird flu.
This is the first known fatality from the virus in the United States, the state health department announced Monday.
According to a report in The Hill, the patient contracted the H5N1 virus after exposure to a mix of a backyard poultry flock and wild birds. The patient was over 65 years old and had underlying health conditions.
Although public health officials stated that the overall risk to the general population is still low, they noted that individuals who work with birds, poultry, or cattle — or those with recreational exposure — face a higher risk of infection.
Authorities added that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, and this remains the only human case of H5N1 reported in Louisiana.
The Louisiana Department of Health withheld details about the patient’s death, including the timing and treatments involved, citing confidentiality.
"The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn their loss. To respect the family’s privacy, no further updates about the patient will be provided," the agency stated.
The U.S. has reported at least 66 human cases of H5N1, most of which were mild and presented as respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis (pink eye).
Prior cases primarily involved individuals exposed to infected cattle or those working at poultry farms and culling operations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe illness and deaths from H5N1 are not unexpected. The current outbreak, initially identified in dairy cattle in March, has spread to over 900 herds across 16 states.
Sporadic human cases began to surface in May 2024 among individuals exposed to infected dairy cows.
Concerns Over Viral Mutations
Last month, the CDC revealed that the virus in this case contained mutations that could increase its ability to spread.
Notably, the mutations found in the Louisiana patient resemble those detected in a Canadian patient hospitalized in British Columbia.
Both carried a strain of the virus linked to wild birds, distinct from the variant fueling outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle.
