U.S. records first death from bird flu amid growing concerns

A Louisiana patient hospitalized in critical condition with severe bird flu has died, the state health department said Monday, marking the first U.S. death due to the virus.

The patient was older than 65 years and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a noncommercial backyard flock and wild birds.

While the public health risk for the public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows — or have recreational exposure to them — are at higher risk, officials said. There is no evidence the virus is spreading from person to person, and the agency said the patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Department of Health did not provide details about when the patient died or what treatment the person received, due to confidentiality.

“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 agency said in a statement.

The U.S. has recorded at least 66 human cases of H5N1. All except for the one in Louisiana were mild, with respiratory symptoms or pink eye. Most of the cases were caused by exposure to infected cattle, while others were found in people working at poultry farms and culling operations.

CDC officials have said cases of severe H5N1 illness and deaths are not unexpected. The current outbreak was first detected in dairy cattle in March, and it has since spread to more than 900 herds across 16 states.

In May 2024, CDC began reporting additional, sporadic human cases in people who had exposure to infected dairy cows.

The news of the patient’s death comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month the virus in the Louisiana patient carried mutations to help it become more transmissible.

The virus and mutations in that patient were similar to ones observed in a hospitalized patient in British Columbia, Canada. Both patients carried a version of the virus that is circulating in wild birds, distinct from the one causing the outbreak in dairy cattle.

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