Louisiana patient's death from bird flu is the first in US

Gerry Smith, Bloomberg News on Jan 6, 2025

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A patient in Louisiana who tested positive for bird flu has died, marking the first U.S. fatality linked to the respiratory virus.

The patient was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, according to a statement from the Louisiana Department of Health. No additional cases have been identified and there’s no evidence of human-to-human transmission, it said.

The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, the state agency said. The resident was hospitalized in December with the first severe human case of avian influenza in the U.S.

Health officials have been on high alert as the H5N1 strain of the virus has spread throughout U.S. poultry and dairy farms. While dozens of people have been infected, there’s no sign so far that the virus is spreading among people.

Most human bird flu infections have occurred in farm workers exposed to infected animals, causing mainly mild symptoms. There have been 66 confirmed human cases in the U.S. so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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