Louisiana reports US 1st human death from bird flu

HOUSTON -- The southern US state of Louisiana on Monday reported the first human death from bird flu in the country, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

The patient, over age 65 with underlying medical conditions, was exposed to non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, said the department in a statement.

"The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient's family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one," said the statement. "Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient."

"While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk," the statement said.

The person remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana and is one of 60 confirmed virus cases in humans reported around the country as of December 2024, local media reported. None of them have involved human-to-human transmission.

The virus can spread from animals to humans "through the air; cows sneeze, and chickens also cough and sneeze, creating airborne virus particles," Dr Rebecca Christofferson from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine told local media outlet WBRZ.

The risks do not come from cooking raw chicken meat and eggs, and avoiding drinking raw milk and practicing standard personal protective measures could help combat it as well, said Christofferson.

When humans contract it, the symptoms are similar to those of the regular flu — sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, fever or chills, headache, fatigue, muscle or body aches, or even diarrhea, said Christofferson.

The first human case in the United States was reported in April.