WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first severe case of H5N1 Bird Flu in the United States.
A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in Louisiana. This marks the first instance of severe illness linked to the virus in the United States.
Since April 2024, there have been a total of 61 human cases of H5 bird flu cases reported in the United States.
Partial viral genome data of the H5N1 avian influenza virus that infected the patient in Louisiana indicates that the virus belongs to the D1.1 genotype related to other D1.1 viruses recently detected in wild birds and poultry in the United States and in recent human cases in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state. This H5N1 bird flu genotype is different than the B3.13 genotype detected in dairy cows, sporadic human cases in multiple states, and some poultry outbreaks in the United States.
While an investigation into the source of the infection in Louisiana is ongoing, it has been determined that the patient had exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. This is the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock.
CDC continues to sy that the immediate risk to the public's health from H5N1 bird flu remains low.
CDC warned that people with work or recreational exposures to infected animals are at higher risk of infection.
Backyard flock owners, hunters and other bird enthusiasts also have been advised to take precautions.
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