First American in Louisiana is severely affected by the H5N1 avian flu as concerns about a global outbreak increase

An American has been hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu, in the first case of severe illness from the virus in the country.

The H5N1 patient was located in Louisiana. Investigators suspect that the individual contracted the disease from handling sick and dead birds in a backyard poultry flock.

No further details on their symptoms have been revealed, except that they are ‘severely ill’ with the virus. 

The patient is currently being treated in a local hospital and it is not thought that they passed on the infection to others.

The CDC issued an alert regarding the case. They mentioned that the patient tested positive for the D1.1 strain, which is associated with wild birds and poultry. This strain is different from the one currently causing a livestock outbreak.

In Canada, a seemingly healthy teenager was admitted to the hospital with a similar strain of bird flu in the previous month. The teenager’s condition deteriorated to critical, necessitating assistance with breathing.

Officials described the case as ‘sporadic’ today, and said that a severe case of the disease in humans was ‘not unexpected’.

The CDC has not changed its overall assessment that the risk to the public from bird flu is low.

A worker in a hazmat suit is pictured spraying a truck in a quarantine zone after an outbreak of bird flu (stock image)

Since April 2024, a total of 61 people have been diagnosed with H5N1 in the US — but mostly with mild symptoms such as ‘pink eye’.

One other patient has previously been hospitalized, a patient in Missouri who was reported to have an underlying condition. They have since recovered.

No deaths have been reported in the US linked to bird flu in recent years. 

In most cases, the infections have been linked to exposure to dairy herds, with 845 infected across 16 states to date, although some have also been linked to wild birds.

The latest case marks the first to be linked to a backyard poultry flock.

The CDC said in the alert: ‘A sporadic case of severe H5N1 bird flu illness in a person is not unexpected.

‘Avian influenza virus infection has previously been associated with severe human illness in other countries during 2024 and prior years, including illness resulting in death.’

They added: ‘No person-to-person spread of H5 bird flu has been detected. This case does not change CDC’s overall assessment of the immediate risk to the public’s health from H5N1 bird flu, which remains low.’

The above map shows the number of people infected with bird flu by state in the US this year. California and Washington state have recorded the most cases. Louisiana was added today (not colored on the map), after recording its first case

About 20 percent of the wastewater sights being tested for the virus are also picking up the virus, data shows

The hospitalized Louisiana patient was first revealed by the state’s health department on Monday, which said they were in the southwest of the state and that samples had been sent to the CDC for testing.

The CDC said the H5N1 infection was confirmed via testing on Friday last week, and that partial viral DNA analysis revealed the patient had the D1.1 variant.

It also said the case underscored the need to take precautions when around backyard flocks and cattle to limit the risk of infection.

In its alert, they urged people to avoid contact with sick or dead animals, particularly wild birds and poultry, whenever possible.

They also said those with direct contacts with the birds to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and to avoid touching surfaces — like animal litter or bedding — that may have come into contact with infected animals.

In Canada, the teenager sickened with the same type of bird flu was hospitalized on November 8 after falling ill on November 2.

As of the last report in late November, the teenager was still in the hospital and in a critical condition — requiring help to breathe — but was stable.

It was not clear how they caught the disease, with dogs and reptiles they had come into contact with all testing negative.