A 65-year-old man died in Louisiana after contracting a severe form of avian flu. U.S. public health agencies have said the risk to the general public remains low.
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The first human death from bird flu has been recorded in the United States, amid fears the virus could become more transmissible between humans.
The patient, aged over 65 and suffering from underlying health conditions, had been hospitalized in mid-December due to the country’s first serious case of H5N1 bird flu, which has been spreading mainly among agricultural workers since last year.
The patient contracted the H5N1 virus in Louisiana after exposure to backyard and wild birds, according to the state health department.
The Louisiana agency said the patient did not transmit the virus to others and that the risk of contracting the H5N1 virus remained low for the general public, but higher for people exposed to birds, poultry or cows.
“Although tragic, a death from the H5N1 avian influenza virus in the United States is not unexpected, as it is known that infection with these viruses can lead to serious illness and death,” said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Exposure between humans and animals
The H5N1 virus is common in birds worldwide, but it is rare for humans to become infected and it usually only spreads to people exposed to an infected animal.
“As in the case of Louisiana, most H5 avian influenza virus infections are linked to animal-to-human exposures,” the CDC said.
The United States has recorded 66 confirmed cases of avian flu in humans since the start of 2024, when the disease was detected on farms.
Sixteen states have reported outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows, with 917 herds affected.
Only two infected people in the United States had not been exposed to animals: a patient who recovered after being hospitalized in Missouri and a California child who had mild symptoms.
However, the sustained spread of the virus among animals increases the risk that people will be exposed to the virus, which could lead to a larger outbreak with consequences beyond the borders of the United States.
Samples of the virus taken from the Louisiana patient also indicate that it has undergone mutations that raise concerns that it may become more transmissible between people.
Last week, the Biden administration said it would allocate $306 million (293 million euros) to the public health response to the H5N1 virus, including disease surveillance and laboratory testing.
It previously announced it would begin testing samples of unpasteurized milk to prevent the spread of the virus.
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