WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that a person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, marking the first case of severe illness linked to the virus in the nation.
The virus detected in the infected person belonged to the D1.1 genotype, which was found in similar cases in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state.
Though, the case investigation is going on, the officials have determined that the person was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, making it the first case in the U.S. to be linked to exposure to a backyard flock.
'This case underscores that, in addition to affected commercial poultry and dairy operations, wild birds and backyard flocks also can be a source of exposure,' the agency noted.
The CDC's recent statement noted that a total of 61 people in the U.S. have had a confirmed case of H5N1 since April 2024. Of the previous cases, 37 got infected from dairy cows, 21 from poultry, and 2 from unknown sources.
Despite the detection of severe case, the CDC still believes that the immediate risk to the public's health from H5N1 bird flu continues to remain low.
To prevent bird flu, the agency has advised the public to avoid contact with infected or dead birds and animals, as well as avoid touching surfaces contaminated with saliva, mucous, or animal feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected case of bird flu.
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