Louisiana reports first human death in US from bird flu

A patient in Louisiana has become the first human in the US to die of bird flu.

The Louisiana department of health reported on Monday afternoon that a patient who had been hospitalized in the state with the first human case of avian influenza has now died.

The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions, the department announced in a statement.

The patient contracted bird flu, officially known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.

A genetic analysis had suggested the bird flu virus had mutated inside the patient, which could have resulted in a more severe illness.

This marked the first human case in the US linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Louisiana department of health’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana, the LDH added.

In the statement, the department “expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one”.

It added that patient confidentiality and respect for the family meant there would not be further updates about the patient from that authority. The patient has not been named.

The department added that “while the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk. The best way to protect yourself and your family from H5N1 is to avoid sources of exposure. That means avoiding direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with bird flu viruses.”

Since March last year, 66 confirmed bird flu infections in humans have been reported in the US, but previous cases have been mild, with most having been detected among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows.

In two cases – and adult in Missouri and a child in California – health officials have not determined how the virus was caught.

The Associated Press contributed reporting