In a recent distressing development, health authorities in Louisiana confirmed the demise of a patient who had been hospitalized with severe bird flu since December. The individual contracted avian influenza after being exposed to a backyard flock and wild birds. This tragic incident marks the first recorded death in the United States attributed to H5N1, also known as avian flu.
The deceased person was identified as over 65 years old and was reported to have underlying medical conditions, although further details about the patient have not been disclosed by the Louisiana Health Department. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that a total of 66 individuals in the US tested positive for bird flu in 2024. While most cases resulted in mild symptoms and full recovery, this fatal case underscores the potential severity of avian flu.
Health experts express concerns about escalating human infections leading to more severe illnesses and potentially more fatalities. Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, describes the situation as akin to playing “Russian roulette,” emphasizing that increased virus presence heightens risks of human exposure.
The United States finds itself amidst an H5N1 outbreak that continues unabated. Since January 2022, over 130 million birds, including commercial poultry, have been infected by the virus. Notably, in April 2024, it spread to dairy cows for the first time, affecting more than 900 dairy herds across 16 states without causing fatalities among cattle.
Most individuals contracting bird flu are farm workers or those directly handling sick animals. Of last year’s confirmed cases in the US, 40 had contact with dairy cows while 23 were exposed to poultry and culling operations; three cases had unknown sources of exposure. Internationally since 2003, over 850 human cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported outside the US with approximately half resulting in fatalities.
Despite federal assurances that public risk remains low and no evidence suggests person-to-person transmission within America has occurred due to avian influenza strains like D1.1 resembling those found in wild birds and poultry causing severe illnesses among humans.
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