A Louisiana man died Monday, Jan. 6, after contracting the H5N1 bird flu, making him the first person in the United States to die from the virus. The 65-year-old’s passing comes after the CDC confirmed he was the only known severe case of H5N1 in the country.
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) confirmed that the man tested positive for the virus after coming into contact with a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.
The patient, who had underlying medical conditions, contracted a severe respiratory illness as a result of the infection.
“LDH’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.”
Louisiana Department of Health
Health authorities also noted that the man tested positive for a mutated strain of the H5N1 virus. According to the CDC, once the virus infects a human, it can evolve during the illness.
Since the start of the 2024 outbreak, 66 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the U.S.
The most common strain of H5N1 have been traced to dairy farm outbreaks, with 917 herds infected by the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, the CDC reports that all 50 states have seen poultry outbreaks. The outbreaks pushed the number of infected birds above 130 million.
Bird flu symptoms can vary, but experts say the most common signs include sore throat, fever, cough and body aches. Most infected individuals experienced mild cases and recovered with antiviral treatment.
Apart from the Louisiana case, the CDC notes one other person in Missouri was hospitalized with bird flu. Other health conditions were the primary factors in their case.
While the CDC says the risk to the general public remains low, the agency cautions those who work with birds, cows and poultry face an increased risk of exposure to the virus.
