A Louisiana affected person who was hospitalized with extreme chicken flu has died, the primary such fatality in the USA, state well being officers reported Monday.
Officers mentioned the affected person was over 65 years of age and had underlying medical circumstances. The person grew to become contaminated with the chicken flu virus, H5N1, after publicity to yard flocks and wild birds.
There isn’t any indication that the virus is spreading from individual to individual anyplace within the nation, and Louisiana officers haven’t recognized some other instances within the state. Pasteurized dairy merchandise stay secure for consumption.
“I nonetheless suppose the danger stays low,” Dr. mentioned Diego Diehl, a virologist at Cornell College.
“Nevertheless, it is crucial that folks stay vigilant and keep away from contact with sick animals, sick chickens, sick dairy cattle and likewise keep away from contact with wild birds.”
The information comes on the heels of a report that the affected person’s virus samples are mutating This can help infect people more easily.
Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention said late last month That the mutations weren’t current in virus samples taken from the yard herd means that they develop within the affected person because the illness progresses.
A mutation was additionally current within the virus taken from a 13-year-old Canadian lady who was hospitalized and required respiratory help. She has since recovered.
Each sufferers carried a model of the virus that’s circulating in wild birds, totally different from the virus circulating in dairy cattle.
Though these are remoted instances, the 2 collectively level to the potential of the virus mutating into harmful new varieties, consultants have mentioned.
Director of the World Middle for Well being Safety on the College of Nebraska, Dr. James Lawler mentioned the information “ought to remind us that H5N1 influenza has been and continues to be a harmful virus.”
“The extra the virus spreads, particularly in people and different mammals, the larger the danger that the virus will purchase mutations that make the virus extra appropriate for human illness and transmission,” he mentioned. “It places us all in danger.”
This threat is very excessive because the nation faces a extreme flu season.
An individual who’s contaminated with each chicken flu virus and seasonal flu on the similar time might present H5N1 with ample alternative to amass the mutations wanted to unfold effectively amongst folks.
H5N1 has been circulating in wild birds and dairy cattle for a couple of yr. The outbreak has proven no indicators of abating More than 900 flocks In 16 states the virus has additionally unfold from dairy farms to poultry farms, and to wild birds.
In December, California, the state most affected by the outbreak in livestock, introduced that A Public health emergency.
at the very least 66 people were infected By the virus in the USA in 2024, practically all instances have occurred amongst individuals who labored on farms with contaminated cows or poultry, in response to the CDC.
Most individuals have delicate signs, typically conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and respiratory signs. Globally, there have been about 500 deaths previously 20 years, most of them in Southeast Asia.
The Louisiana affected person was reported hospitalized final month. However state officers have declined to launch additional particulars, citing affected person confidentiality.
Earlier than final yr, just one human H5N1 an infection in the USA — in a poultry employee in Colorado — was reported in 2022.
Consultants warn in opposition to consuming uncooked milk, which can include excessive ranges of the virus. No human instances have but been linked to uncooked milk, however cats in a number of states have died after consuming milk contaminated with the virus.
