Bird flu causes first human death in U.S.

A 65-year-old with underlying medical conditions has succumbed to avian flu in Louisiana. It is the first bird flu death in the United States.

The patient, who was exposed to non-commercial backyard flocks and wild birds, had underlying medical conditions, according to officials.

Since April 2024, bird flu outbreaks have occurred in multiple states, mainly causing mild illnesses among some patients.

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the death on Monday. This past month, the department said it was experiencing its first case of severe bird flu involving a human. The patient was experiencing severe respiratory illness related to bird flu infection and was in critical condition.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

– H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide, causing poultry and U.S. dairy cows outbreaks. Several recent human cases have been reported in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.

-While the current public health risk is low, the CDC is overseeing the situation and working with states to monitor people with animal exposure and

-The CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5 bird flu activity in people.

There have been 66 human cases of bird flu in the U.S., with most being mild.

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