At least 66 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 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. But according to the CDC, samples of the virus taken from the Louisiana patients revealed evidence of changes that would increase its human transmissibility.
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