A patient in Louisiana who tested positive for bird flu has died, marking the first US fatality linked to the respiratory virus.
The patient was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, according to a statement from the Louisiana Department of Health. No additional cases have been identified and there’s no evidence of human-to-human transmission, it said.
The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, the state agency said. The resident was hospitalised in December with the first severe human case of avian influenza in the US.
Health officials have been on high alert as the H5N1 strain of the virus has spread throughout US poultry and dairy farms. While dozens of people have been infected, there’s no sign so far that the virus is spreading among people.
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Most human bird flu infections have occurred in farm workers exposed to infected animals, causing mainly mild symptoms. - Bloomberg
