US records first human death from bird flu

The United States has recorded its first human death from bird flu, a grim milestone that comes as at least 67 cases have been recorded in the country.

The patient, older than 65 and with underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized in Louisiana in December; this case was considered the first serious human H5N1 infection in the country.

The Louisiana Department of Health said the patient was exposed to a combination of backyard flocks and wild birds.

“The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one,” it said in a statement. “Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the last update regarding the patient.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all but one of the human avian flu infections confirmed so far in the United States were diagnosed in the past 10 months. Most cases have been relatively mild, with symptoms such as pink eyes, coughing or sneezing.

The majority of patients became ill after exposure to infected livestock or poultry. The Louisiana patient was the first case linked to exposure to a backyard flock.

Only two cases involved patients who had not been exposed to animals. One of them was a person in Missouri who was hospitalized with bird flu in September but recovered after being treated with antiviral drugs. The other was a California child who had mild symptoms in November.

The CDC maintains that the immediate risk to public health is low. Public health officials have found no evidence that the virus spread from person to person, which would be a disastrous step in the evolution of bird flu.

“Although tragic, a death from H5N1 avian influenza in the United States is not unexpected due to the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause serious illness and death,” the agency said in a statement. communicated Monday.

“There are no virological changes of concern actively spreading in wild birds, poultry or cows that would increase the risk to human health,” the statement added.

However, samples of the virus taken from a Louisiana patient showed signs of mutations. this could make it more transmissible to humans, according to the agency.

The strain of avian flu causing the current outbreak began spreading globally among wild birds and poultry in 2020. Since it took root in the United States in 2022, more than 130 million birds were infected or killed. The virus has also spread to dairy cows and other mammals. More than 900 cases of avian flu have been detected in cattle since March.

Increasing transmission among animals increases the chances that humans could be exposed and that the virus could mutate in a way that could lead to a pandemic. Avian flu appears to spread effectively on dairy farms, likely because cows shed the virus through their mammary glands and then infect other animals through their raw milk. The virus has also appeared in wastewater in several states, including in sites without dairy or poultry facilities.

For people concerned about the risk of bird flu, the CDC advises against drinking raw, unpasteurized milk and suggests avoiding contact with sick or dead animals. Workers on poultry or dairy farms affected by H5N1 should wear personal protective equipment and monitor for symptoms.

The federal response to bird flu intensified a month ago, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply, starting with six states. The Biden administration also set aside $306 million last week for additional surveillance, laboratory testing and medical research on avian flu.

But some experts have criticized the U.S. response, calling it too slow or limited.

“The Biden administration has mismanaged the cattle outbreak for months, increasing the possibility of a dangerous and wider spread,” two former Food and Drug Administration officials wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Friday.