Louisiana: The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed the first human death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States.
The individual, aged over 65 with underlying medical conditions, passed away after being hospitalized with the flu. The infection was linked to exposure to a backyard flock of birds and wild birds.
Health officials in Louisiana stated that their investigation did not uncover any other human cases associated with this patient’s infection.
Experts have long warned about the severity of the H5N1 virus, with Dr. Richard Webby from St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital describing it as one of the most aggressive forms of the virus.
Since 2003, there have been approximately 900 reported human cases of bird flu globally, with a high fatality rate of around 50%.
However, experts believe that mild cases may not be accurately reflected in this statistic. Even with a lower fatality rate, the virus remains a serious concern.
