A Louisiana patient over the age of 65 has died after contracting H5N1 bird flu from exposure to wild and backyard birds; the CDC emphasizes the risk to the general public remains low.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- First US H5N1 Death Confirmed: Louisiana reported the first human death from highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in the United States, involving a patient over 65 with underlying medical conditions who contracted the virus through exposure to wild and backyard birds.
- Public Risk Remains Low: The CDC emphasizes that while H5N1 can cause severe illness, there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, and the risk to the general public remains low.
- Global Context of H5N1: Since 2022, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1 in the U.S., while globally, over 950 cases have been reported to the WHO, with about half resulting in death.
The Louisiana Department of Health reports the patient who had been hospitalized with a human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana and the US has died.
The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.
The Louisiana Department of Health’s 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 department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one. Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient,” the Louisiana Department of Health says in a release.
Risk to Public Remains Low
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes in a release, “While tragic, a death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States is not unexpected because of the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause severe illness and death. As of Jan 6, 2025, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2024 and 67 since 2022.”
Outside the United States, more than 950 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported to the World Health Organization; about half of those have resulted in death.
The CDC says it has studied the available information about the person who died in Louisiana and continues to assess that the risk to the general public remains low. No person-to-person transmission spread has been identified. As with the case in Louisiana, most H5 bird flu infections are related to animal-to-human exposures. Additionally, the CDC says there are no concerning virologic changes actively spreading in wild birds, poultry, or cows that would raise the risk to human health.
However, people with job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds or other animals are at greater risk of infection. For these and others, CDC has developed prevention resources about how to protect yourself.
