At least 67 instances of bird flu have been reported in the United States, marking the somber milestone of the country’s first human fatality from the illness.
Considered the nation’s first serious human H5N1 infection, the patient, who was over 65 and had underlying medical issues, was admitted to a Louisiana hospital in December.
The patient was exposed to both wild and backyard birds, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
In a statement, the Department offered its sincere condolences to the patient’s friends and family as they grieve the loss of a loved one. This will be the patient’s last update due to patient confidentiality and family respect.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all but one of the documented human bird flu cases in the United States have occurred within the past ten months. The majority of cases have been minor, with symptoms like sneezes, coughing, and pinkeye.
Most of the patients contracted the disease after coming into contact with infected poultry or livestock. The first case connected to exposure to a backyard flock was the patient from Louisiana.
There have only been two instances where patients had no known animal exposure. One was a patient in Missouri who was admitted to the hospital in September due to bird flu but recovered after receiving antiviral medicine. The other was a toddler in November who had moderate symptoms in California.
According to the CDC, there is little immediate risk to public health. There is no proof that the virus has transmitted from person to person, which would be a catastrophic development in the history of bird flu, according to public health officials.
According to a statement released by the FDA on Monday, although tragic, an H5N1 bird flu fatality in the US is not surprising given the established risk of serious illness and death from infection with these viruses.
According to the statement, there are no alarming virologic alterations that are now spreading in wild cows, poultry, or birds that could endanger human health.
But according to the organization, samples of the virus taken from the Louisiana patients revealed evidence of changes that would increase its human transmissibility.
In 2020, the strain of bird flu that is causing the current outbreak started to spread over the world among poultry and wild birds. More than 130 million birds have been infected or killed since it first appeared in the United States in 2022. Other mammals, including dairy cows, have also contracted the virus. Since March, over 900 cases of avian flu have been found in cattle.
Increased animal transmission raises the possibility of human exposure and the possibility of virus mutations that could trigger a pandemic.Because cows shed the virus through their mammary glands and subsequently disseminate it to other animals through their raw milk, bird flu seems to propagate effectively on dairy farms. In a number of states, the virus has also been detected in wastewater from locations without dairy or poultry businesses.
The CDC recommends avoiding contact with sick or dead animals and refraining from drinking unpasteurized raw milk if one is worried about the danger of contracting bird flu. Employees on H5N1-affected dairy or poultry farms should wear personal protective equipment and keep an eye out for symptoms.
A month ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized testing of the nation’s milk supply, beginning in six states, as part of a stepped-up federal response to avian flu. Last week, the Biden administration also allocated $306 million for further avian flu surveillance, lab testing, and medical research.
However, the U.S. reaction has been criticized by some analysts for being too restricted or delayed.
Two former Food and Drug Administration officials submitted an editorial in The Washington Post on Friday, arguing that the Biden administration has been handling the cow disease improperly for months, raising the risk of a disastrous, wider spread.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!