CDC Confirms First Severe H5N1 Bird Flu Case in Louisiana, 61 Total US Cases as California Declares Emergency

Dec 19, 2024, 07:17 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States, involving a patient in Louisiana who was hospitalized after exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. This marks the 61st human case of H5 bird flu reported in the U.S. since April 2024, with cases spread across eight states. California, with 34 cases, has declared a state of emergency in response to the virus's spread, particularly after it was detected in dairy cows in Southern California. The state's action aims to enhance monitoring and containment efforts. The virus has affected poultry in all 50 states and dairy herds in 16 states. The CDC maintains that the risk to the general public remains low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the current strain.