- Louisiana health authorities reported the first human death in the United States linked to bird flu on Monday, noting that the patient had underlying health conditions but that the general public risk remained “low.”
- The patient, aged over 65, had been hospitalized since mid-December, when the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified it as the country’s first serious case of human H5N1 infection.
- The Louisiana Department of Health said the patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a mix of non-commercial backyard birds and wild birds, but no additional infections or human-to-human transmission had been detected in the state.
- The announcement came just days after the federal government allocated an additional $306 million for H5N1 surveillance and research, amid criticism of President Joe Biden’s administration over its handling of the issue.
- Since 2020, bird flu outbreaks have surged, affecting not only birds but also an increasing number of mammal species, raising concerns about the virus mutating into a more transmissible form.
- The CDC acknowledged that a death from H5N1 bird flu in the US was not unexpected, given the known potential of the virus to cause severe illness and death.
- The World Health Organization has recorded over 950 human bird flu cases since 2003, with many cases in China and Vietnam.
- Experts have warned about the unchecked spread of the virus, emphasizing the urgency of implementing stronger preventive measures.
First Human Death in the US from Bird Flu Recorded
Keep Reading
Add A Comment
