Louisiana Confirms First Human Death From H5N1 Bird Flu in US

The unnamed person was over the age of 65 and had ‘underlying medical conditions,’ officials say.

A colorized electron microscope image shows avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (yellow), grown in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells (blue), in an image released by the National Institutes of Health on March 26, 2024. CDC/NIAID via AP

Officials in Louisiana on Jan. 6 confirmed the first human death from the H5N1 avian influenza in the United States, weeks after the patient was hospitalized.

The patient, who was not identified, was over the age of 65 and was “reported to have underlying medical conditions,” the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement, adding that the individual contracted H5N1 after being exposed to wild birds and a “non-commercial backyard flock.”

No additional cases of the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza were identified in the state, officials said. There is also no evidence of person-to-person transmission.

Story continues below advertisement

This is the only human case of H5N1 in the state, according to the Louisiana health agency, which expressed its “deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one.” The agency said additional updates on the patient will not be provided.

The virus, also known as Type A H5N1, was detected for the first time in U.S. dairy cattle in March 2024. Since then, bird flu has been confirmed in at least 80 herds in 16 states.

More than 60 people in eight states have been infected, with mostly mild illnesses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Louisiana case was the United States’ first known severe illness caused by the virus, health officials said in December 2024.

In November 2024, Canadian officials reported that a teen in British Columbia, Canada, was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu. CDC officials did not answer a question about whether the new U.S. case and the case in Canada had any similarities or differences, and directed queries to Louisiana officials.

Story continues below advertisement

Health officials have stressed that bird flu is still mainly an animal health issue and that the risk to the public remains low. No spread of the virus from person to person has been documented in the United States or elsewhere.

At least one state—California—has declared an emergency over bird flu in recent weeks. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said that this was precautionary and because of cases found in dairy cattle.

Bird Flu Mutation Likely, CDC Says

Also in December 2024, the CDC said a genetic analysis of samples obtained by federal researchers suggests that the bird flu virus had mutated inside the Louisiana patient.

Story continues below advertisement

“The changes observed were likely generated by replication of this virus in the patient with advanced disease rather than primarily transmitted at the time of infection,” the CDC said.

Officials stressed that the risk of a U.S. avian flu outbreak is still low despite the Louisiana case and its reported mutation.

“The detection of a severe human case with genetic changes in a clinical specimen underscores the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance in people and animals, containment of avian influenza outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry, and prevention measures among people with exposure to infected animals or environments,” the agency said.

Recommendations

The Louisiana Department of Health recommended that people avoid direct contact with dead or sick animals or their droppings and that people should not bring sick wild animals into their homes. It also advised keeping pets away from sick or dead animals and their droppings.

People should avoid “uncooked or undercooked food,” such as poultry, eggs, and “other animal products,” which should be cooked to the proper temperature, according to the health agency.

Story continues below advertisement

The CDC warned that people should “avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe them only from a distance, if possible” and “avoid contact with wild or domestic birds that appear ill or have died, and call to report sick or dead birds.”

Both the state agency and CDC recommend that people not consume raw, unpasteurized milk or products made from raw milk.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.