First Death Linked to Bird Flu in U.S. Raises Concerns

January 7, 2025 | 12:36 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States has reported its first human death from avian influenza (bird flu). Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday that a 65-year-old patient hospitalized on December 18 succumbed to the virus, as announced by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) on Monday. This individual represents the first known human case of H5N1 infection in Louisiana.

“LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana,” the state agency said in a social media post. “Current general public health risk remains low.”

While this is the first reported human fatality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 66 human cases of bird flu in the U.S. since April. However, the severity of these cases has varied significantly.

Authorities believe the deceased patient, who had underlying health conditions, contracted the virus through contact with backyard chickens and wild birds. Although the risk to the general public remains low, the CDC emphasizes that individuals working with poultry and livestock or experiencing recreational exposure to these animals are at increased risk.

Millions of birds and livestock have been culled nationwide to contain the virus. The CDC reports that most human cases have been linked to occupational exposure, particularly in the agricultural sector. An estimated 40 cases have been associated with dairy farms and 23 with livestock and slaughter operations.

“While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk,” LDH said in a statement.

California, with its substantial agricultural industry, declared a state of emergency in mid-December following the detection of the virus in dairy cows. As of Monday, the CDC reported 701 confirmed cases of dairy cows in California out of a total of 917.

While human-to-human transmission remains undocumented, the CDC announced in late December that genetic analysis of the deceased Louisiana patient revealed a mutation in the virus, enabling it to better bind to receptors in the human upper respiratory tract.

Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Minnesota, expressed concern over this mutation while emphasizing that it does not necessarily indicate imminent widespread human transmission. “Is this an indication that we may be closer to seeing a readily transmitted virus between people? No,” Osterholm told The Associated Press. “Right now, this is a key that sits in the lock, but it doesn’t open the door.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the global impact of the infection as "small" in a recent public health assessment in December.

Editor’s Choice: WHO Says Israel's Reasons for Attacking Gaza Hospitals Are Unjustified and Baseless

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

North Korea Successfully Tests New Intermediate-Range Missile, State Media Says

2 jam lalu

North Korea Tests Mid-Range Missile as Blinken Visits Seoul

18 jam lalu

A Guide for U.S. Travelers: Understanding the New UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)

18 jam lalu

The Most Reliable Airlines in the U.S.; Delta Takes the Crown

22 jam lalu

Donald Trump Protests U.S. Flag Flying at Half-Mast on His Inauguration Day

1 hari lalu

WHO Says Israel's Reasons for Attacking Gaza Hospitals Are Unjustified and Baseless

2 hari lalu

U.S. Plans $8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel, US Official Says

2 hari lalu

Top 10 Most Expensive Autographs, Valuable Signatures Worth Millions

3 hari lalu

These are the Top 10 Best U.S. Airports, Comfort and Convenience

4 hari lalu

5 Years of COVID-19, WHO Asks China to Share Origins Data

6 hari lalu