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A microscopic view of the H5N1 virus.

Adult in Louisiana reported as first death in U.S. attributed to H5N1

January 6, 2025

The first U.S. human death attributed to H5N1 bird flu was reported Monday by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

The hospitalized patient was older than 65 and “reported to have underlying medical conditions,” according to an LDH news release. The disease was contracted after exposure to a noncommercial backyard flock and wild birds.

“LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission,” the release said. “This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to categorize H5N1’s public health risk as low. The outbreak began last April.

The CDC recommends parents keep their children away from sick or dead animals; properly cook poultry, eggs and beef; and not provide raw or unpasteurized milk products to their children.

Robert W. Frenck Jr., M.D., FAAP, advises parents to caution children against touching, handling or moving a sick or dead bird. Such birds should be reported to an adult.

Children who live on or visit farms should be supervised and reminded not to rub their eyes or touch their nose or mouth after being around birds or bird droppings. Any children who may have touched birds or their byproducts should wash their hands with soap and water.

People who work with animals, tend backyard flocks or hunt are at higher risk of exposure to H5N1, according to the CDC. Viruses may be shed in birds’ saliva, mucus and feces, and in other animals’ respiratory secretions or bodily fluids, including raw milk.

More on the H5N1 bird flu outbreak

  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on announced $306 million in funding to programs for preparedness, monitoring and research amid the bird flu outbreak.
  • A pediatric patient in Canada with bird flu is recovering after an extensive hospitalization and intubation. The 13-year-old girl with a history of mild asthma suffered respiratory failure days after visiting an emergency department with fever and conjunctivitis.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture in December began requiring nationwide collection of unpasteurized milk samples for H5N1 testing to identify affected herds quickly and implement safety measures.
  • A child in California with mild respiratory symptoms was confirmed to have bird flu in November.
  • Health officials presented plans in October to produce up-to-date bird flu vaccines in the event of a pandemic.
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