First Severe U.S. H5N1 Bird Flu Case Confirmed; Patient Hospitalized Since Dec. 13 in Louisiana

Dec 19, 2024, 03:57 AM

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, hospitalized in Louisiana since December 13, is over 65 years old with underlying medical conditions and is currently in critical condition. The individual had exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. The virus is linked to the D1.1 genotype found in wild birds and poultry. This marks the first severe human infection of the H5N1 virus in the U.S., although over 60 people in eight states have been infected with bird flu this year, mostly experiencing mild illnesses. The CDC states that the risk to the general public remains low, and there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.