The first bird flu death in the United States has been reported. The man was hospitalized in Louisiana with severe respiratory symptoms.
Louisiana health officials announced the death on Monday.
Health officials said the man was over 65 years old, had underlying health conditions and had come into contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. He also said genetic analysis suggested the avian influenza virus may have mutated in the patient’s body, causing more severe symptoms.
They have revealed few other details about the person.
Since March, 66 cases of avian influenza have been confirmed in the United States, but so far the symptoms have been mild and most have been detected among farm workers who came into contact with sick poultry or dairy cows.
Virus experts said the deaths from bird flu were not unexpected. According to the World Health Organization, more than 460 people have died from the H5N1 avian influenza virus since 2003.
Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, said the avian influenza virus “represents a serious threat and is a historically deadly virus.” “This is a tragic reminder of that.”
Nuzzo noted that a Canadian teenager recently became infected and became seriously ill. Researchers are still assessing the dangers of the current version of the virus and trying to determine what causes it to hit some people harder than others, she said.
“Just because a mild case is confirmed does not mean future cases will continue to be mild,” she added.
Avian influenza or avian influenza is a disease that spreads naturally among wild waterfowl as well as domestic poultry and other bird and animal species around the world.
In two of the most recent U.S. cases, an adult in Missouri and a child in California, health officials have not revealed how they contracted the virus. The source of the Louisiana man’s infection was not considered a mystery. But this is the first human case in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Louisiana officials said they were not aware of any other cases in the state, and U.S. officials said there was no evidence the virus was spreading from person to person.
H5N1 avian influenza is widespread among wild birds, poultry, cattle, and other animals. Its increased presence in the environment increases the likelihood that people will be exposed and infected, officials said.
Officials continue to remind people who have come into contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions when handling poultry, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves.
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