Official announcements from the World Health Organization

Louisiana Confirms First U.S. H5N1 Bird Flu Death; Officials Say Risk Remains Low

Jan 6, 2025, 09:03 PM

Louisiana health officials have reported the first human death from the H5N1 bird flu in the United States. The patient, who was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, contracted the virus after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds. The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed on Monday that the individual was hospitalized with the severe respiratory virus and later died. Officials stated that there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, and the risk to the general public remains low. They are not aware of any additional cases in the state.