Bird flu in the USA: First person to die from infection!

By Christina Horsten, Walter Willems

Baton Rouge - For the first time, a person has died in the USA after being infected with the H5N1bird flu virus. The resident of the state of Louisiana was over 65 years old and also had other health problems, according to the state's health authority.

The virus recently led to outbreaks in a number of poultry farms in the USA. (symbolic image)
The virus recently led to outbreaks in a number of poultry farms in the USA. (symbolic image)  © Brandon Bell/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP

There are no indications of further cases in Louisiana or of transmission of the pathogen between humans, the statement continued. There have already been several recorded deaths from H5N1 worldwide.

The patient had been in contact with birds in his garden as well as with wild birds. The authorities did not provide any further details.

The US health authority CDC had already announced in mid-December that the person was the first patient in the USA to become seriously ill after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.

H5N1 avian influenza is currently widespread in wild birds around the world, and numerous wild mammals have also been infected.

How high is the risk of bird flu for the population?

In addition to poultry, farms with dairy cows in the USA are also severely affected by the virus. (symbolic image)
In addition to poultry, farms with dairy cows in the USA are also severely affected by the virus. (symbolic image)  © Michael M. Santiago/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP

The CDC had recorded 66 human cases by last Monday, most of them in the states of California, Washington and Colorado.

Employees of dairy and poultry farms are mainly affected, with mild cases. Human-to-human transmission has not yet been detected.

The CDC continues to assess the risk to the general population as low. The authority generally advises people to avoid contact with sick and dead animals.

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists a total of 464 reported human deaths from H5N1 worldwide between 2003 and 12 December 2024.

The vast majority of these occurred up to and including 2019 in Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia and Cambodia. After that, only relatively few H5N1 deaths were recorded.