Louisiana reports 1st U.S. human death related to H5N1 avian flu – CBC

Nearly 70 people in the U.S. have contracted bird flu since April, officials say

Jan 06, 2025

The Louisiana Department of Health said on Monday that a U.S. patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu has died, the country’s first death from an outbreak of the virus that has sickened dozens of people and millions of poultry and cattle.

Nearly 70 people in the U.S. have contracted bird flu since April, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most of them livestock workers exposed to sick chickens or dairy cattle.

The patient in Louisiana, the first person in the country to be hospitalized with the virus, contracted bird flu after coming into contact with sick and dead chickens and wild birds in a backyard flock, said Louisiana health officials.

The patient, who state health officials said was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized on Dec. 18, 2024.

State officials previously said the individual was a resident of southwestern Louisiana. No details were provided about when the death occurred.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/h5n1-death-louisiana-1.7424277