CDC Confirms First Severe U.S. H5N1 Bird Flu Case in Louisiana Patient

Dec 18, 2024, 04:49 PM

On December 18, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first severe human case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. The patient, a resident of Louisiana, has been hospitalized since December 13 with serious illness after exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. Health officials have stated that there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, and the risk to the general public remains low. The CDC is investigating the source of the infection but emphasizes that this case does not change their overall assessment of the immediate risk to public health from bird flu.