The patient who had been hospitalized with the first human case of pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana and the United States has died, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) reported on Monday.
According to reports, the patient was over 65 years old and was hospitalized weeks ago due to underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted the flu after exposure to non-commercial flocks and wild birds.
According to the LDH, their intensive health investigation identified no additional H5N1 cases, or any evidence of person-to-person transmission. This means that the patient remains as the sole human case of H5N1 in the area.
“The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one. Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient,” The LDH said in a press release.
On December 18, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first severe case of bird flu. Since then, no other cases of H5N1 have been reported in the state.
Although general risk to the public remains low, the LDH still warned the public on the “recreational exposure” to birds, poultry, or cows.
The H5N1 bird flu virus was first identified from wild geese in China in 1996. It has since spread among birds in Asia, occasionally affecting people.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that there have been an increase in reports of deadly outbreaks among mammals, which are also caused by influenza, since 2022. There is a possibility that more outbreaks have not been detected or reported, as various kinds of animals have been affected.
Additionally, the WHO indicated that around 900 human infections have been reported since 2003, of which more than half were fatal.
