A person who was hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana and the U.S. has died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
In December 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the first severe case of bird flu in a human in the U.S. was found in Louisiana.
The victim, whose identity was not released, was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. “The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds,” said the Louisiana Department of Public Health.
In the past 25 years, there have been more than 900 cases of H5N1 all over the world, not counting the U.S. The infections in those cases were severe and about 50% ended in death.
Federal health experts still said that bird flu is mainly affecting animals and that the risk to humans is still low. There has not been a case documented that it has spread from person to person, the AP reported.
The bird flu recently killed 20 big cats at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center near Shelton, Washington.
“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 Louisiana department of health says.
Health officials say the best way to protect yourself an family is to “avoid sources of exposure.”
Health officials released helpful tips to stay safe:
Protecting yourself and others from H5N1 infection
- Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings and do not bring sick wild animals into your home.
- Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces.
- Do not eat uncooked or undercooked food. Cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
- Avoid uncooked food products such as unpasteurized raw milk or cheeses from animals that have a suspected or confirmed infection.
- If you work on poultry or dairy farms, talk to your provider about getting your seasonal flu vaccination. It will not prevent infection with avian influenza viruses, but it can reduce the risk of coinfection with avian and flu viruses.
- Report dead or sick birds or animals to the USDA toll-free at 1-866-536-7593 or the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Diagnostic Lab at 318-927-3441.
If you have been exposed to sick or dead birds or other animals or work on a farm where avian influenza has been detected, watch for respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis.