The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed the death of the first person to contract a severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S.
The patient, who was over 65 and had undisclosed underlying health conditions, contracted the virus after being exposed to a mix of wild birds and a non-commercial backyard flock. Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has claimed over 450 lives globally, but this marks the first death from the virus in the U.S.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, a thorough public health investigation found no other H5N1 cases or signs of person-to-person transmission. So far, this remains the only reported human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.
“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 Louisiana Health Department said in a press release.
The local agency said the best way to protect yourself from H5N1 is by steering clear of potential sources of exposure. This includes avoiding direct contact with wild birds or any animals that might be infected or suspected of having bird flu.
The news comes just weeks after genetic analysis of the virus from the now-deceased patient found several mutations that could potentially enhance the virus’s ability to bind to human upper airway cells.
Since the mutations were detected at low levels, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized that the risk to the general public from the ongoing H5N1 outbreak remains low and unchanged.
Sixty-six human cases of bird flu have been confirmed in the U.S. since April, with California reporting the highest number at 37 cases.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it was ramping up its bird flu response by awarding $306 million in funding to boost disease surveillance, testing, and monitoring efforts.
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