First U.S. Human Death From H5N1 Bird Flu in Louisiana; Cases Detected in Austin, Maryland, and San Francisco

Jan 10, 2025, 02:15 PM

The United States has reported its first human death from the H5N1 bird flu, with a Louisiana man succumbing to the virus after exposure to a backyard flock and wild birds. This marks the first severe case in the country, with the patient having been hospitalized with respiratory symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the virus had acquired mutations, but these changes are not considered a significant concern for increased person-to-person transmission. Additionally, bird flu has been detected in wild birds in Austin, Texas, and at a commercial poultry farm in Maryland, marking the state's first case since 2023. In San Francisco, a child tested presumptive positive for H5N1 but has fully recovered, with no evidence of person-to-person transmission. The CDC maintains that the risk to the general public remains low, with no identified person-to-person spread of the virus. Other states, including Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, and Missouri, have also reported cases of bird flu in poultry. Internationally, a 28-year-old man in Cambodia died from H5N1 after consuming sick chickens.