USA Today reported that on January 6, the Louisiana Department of Public Health (USA) recorded the first death from bird flu, also known as H5N1.
The 65-year-old patient, who had underlying health conditions, contracted avian influenza after coming into contact with backyard poultry and other wild birds, the press release said. The health department did not provide further information to protect the patient’s privacy.
The health department said no one else in Louisiana has been infected with bird flu besides this patient.
According to USA Today, although the risk to public health is currently low, people should still avoid direct contact with poultry and wild birds to prevent possible adverse events.
H5N1 began to spread in 1997 and has traditionally been confined to farmed poultry or wild birds. However, in recent years, it has spread to humans in the United States.
In early 2025 alone, the United States recorded 60 cases of H5N1 infection in humans, although most had mild symptoms, usually red eyes due to conjunctivitis. Experts believe that the Louisiana patient's age and underlying medical conditions may have contributed to his death.
In December 2024, US officials said the patient was also infected with a strain of flu believed to have been transmitted from wild birds. However, it is unclear whether this strain is more dangerous than the one circulating on poultry farms.
For common strains of bird flu, people usually get the disease by touching their eyes after contact with infected animals.
