First severe bird flu case in US reported in Louisiana

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1 bird flu, the first such case in the United States.

Health officials said that the patient had been in contact with sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. However, the agency officials didn’t provide details of the person’s symptoms.

More than 60 bird flu infections have been reported this year, more than half of them in California. In two cases—an adult in Missouri and a child in California—health officials have not determined how the patients contracted the virus.

The CDC confirmed the Louisiana infection on Friday, but did not announce it until Wednesday. It’s also the first US human case linked to exposure to a backyard flock.

Health officials emphasize that bird flu is still mainly an animal health issue, and the risk to the general public remains low. Importantly, there’s been no documented spread of the virus from person to person, providing reassurance.

The best way to prevent H5 bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible. Infected birds shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, mucous, and feces. Other infected animals may shed avian influenza A viruses in respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids.

(With input from AP)